11 Apr 2019

Ministry of Minerals Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security through Botswana Power Cooperation (BPC) engaged Electricidade de Mozambique (EdM) in August 2018 with the view to secure imports to cover the supply-demand gap arising from scheduled shutdowns necessitated by the planned remedial works at Morupule B Power Plant.

Answering a parliamentary question on behalf of the minister responsible, Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo said the interconnection between Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana was stable.

He noted that as evidence of that, BPC had been importing power from Mozambique, dating back to 2008 without transmission challenges.

Mr Mabeo stated that since their engagement with Mozambique, there had never been any suggestion of their being unable to provide power during peak hours, and indeed the offer from Mozambique was based on providing firm power on a 24/7 basis as had been the case in previous transactions.

Mr Mabeo said it would not be prudent to divulge commercial terms between BPC and EdM, adding that such move could among other things compromise their bargaining power when negotiating with various power providers. He added that the costs were within a negotiated affordable range.

Lobatse legislator, Advocate Sadique Kebonang had wanted to know if the Ministry of Minerals Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security was negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding on power imports with Mozambique.

He said if that was the case, the minister should state if they were aware that the power line between Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana was not reliable.

MP Kebonang also wanted to know if they were aware that Mozambique was unable to provide power during peak hours and the power mentioned above was approximately 50 per cent more expensive compared to other available power sources. ENDS