1 April 2025
Government officials from Botswana will meet with South Africa’s electricity ministry this week after power-import costs more than doubled, worsening a supply crisis.
Breakdowns at Botswana’s main plant, the 600 MW Morupule B facility, have caused blackouts that last as many as four hours. South Africa’s state-owned power company fills the shortfall, but Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. has raised tariffs significantly, Botswana’s energy minister, Bogolo Kenewendo, told lawmakers Monday.
Botswana’s debt to Eskom has risen to P2.6-billion, with the South African utility pushing for settlement ahead of the talks that will take place Thursday, Kenewendo said.
Botswana wants to secure 200 MW of supply from South Africa, and it’s issuing a tender for 1.5 GW in renewable energy on Friday.
It’s also putting together a rescue plan for the Botswana Power Corporation that involves debt restructuring, she said.
Botswana’s peak demand is about 640 MW, with generation coming from one unit at Morupule B, as well as diesel plants and a new 50 MW solar installation.
Botswana wants to cooperate with Mozambique in energy
Meantime, President of Botswana, Duma Boko, on Saturday expressed his country’s interest in strengthening cooperation with Mozambique in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity.
He was speaking during a visit to the Maputo Thermal Power Station (CTM), in the company of the Mozambican Minister of Transport and Logistics, João Matlombe.
“It is an impressive power station, serving a noble and grandiose purpose, not only for the Mozambican economy, but also for the daily lives of Mozambicans”, he said.
The power station, built with a Japanese grant, has the capacity to generate 106 megawatts of power.
“What is also very important and impressive is that 40% of the work force consists of women and youths trained in science and technology.
This is an inspiration”, said Duma Boko.
He added that both countries will work to ensure that their peoples have full access to electricity.
“I am very grateful that I have been able to visit this power station, which serves as a permanent inspiration”, he said.
Botswana, he added, is now working to build a thermal power station, fired by methane and by coal, which will generate 300 megawatts.
Source: https://rb.gy/viyhep & https://rb.gy/lo0pq6
