Time ripe to exploit Kudu, says Hangala

Ogone TlhageWINDHOEKFormer NamPower executive and businessman Leake Hangala says government should mobilise resources to develop the Kudu power project, adding that dynamics within the southern African region had changed from a power-security perspective.Making the comments on Twitter, he said government could look to neighbouring South Africa as an off-taker for electricity to be produced from the plant, due to that country’s power woes.South Africa is currently besieged with power cuts imposed by state-owned enterprise Eskom who implemented stage six ‘load shedding’, eyeing electricity savings of 6 000 megawatts (MW) for up to six hours from its power pool.“Namibia should help our ANC [African National Congress] comrades to end load shedding by selling to them electricity from the Kudu gas power station that should be established in Namibia urgently. It is not unrealistic for Namibia to sell 400 to 600 MW to Eskom. Government should facilitate that process urgently,” Hangala said.When asked to elaborate, he said the project can be brought to fruition because of strong fundamentals backing it.“Everything has its time. There are a number of things that make it viable; there are a number of things that have changed internationally and regionally.”Good positionHangala also hailed the presence of Kudu licence investor BW Energy, which he said had the appetite to develop the project.“There is a natural market and there is a strong investor in Kudu.”He further noted a decision by Zambian power supplier Zesco to impose load shedding in that country over drastic reductions in water levels for electricity generation at the Kariba Dam, who also announced that it would not be exporting electricity to other countries.The changes in the Southern Africa Power Pool made all the more reason for Namibia to position itself as an energy exporter, Hangala said.“Most importantly is the energy market locally, regionally and internationally. Namibia is in a good position to develop Kudu. As a country, we must take advantage of this,” he said.

Time ripe to exploit Kudu, says Hangala

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

Please login to leave a comment

Time ripe to exploit Kudu, says Hangala

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

Please login to leave a comment

Login