View source for NamPower

{{Short description|Electricity utility company in Namibia}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Namibia Power Corporation (Proprietary) Limited
| logo = Namibia Power Corporation logo.svg
| type = [[Public utility]]
| services = Electricity
| industry = [[Energy industry]]
| key_people = Simson Haulofu {{small|([[Managing Director]])}}<br>Daniel Motinga {{small|(Chairperson of the Board of Directors)}}
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1964|12|19|df=y}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nampower.com.na/About.aspx|title = NamPower - Company Profile}}</ref>
| revenue =
| num_employees =
| parent = [[Government of Namibia]]
| location = [[Windhoek]], [[Khomas Region]], Namibia
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.nampower.com.na}}
}}
[[File:Powering_the_nation_is_my_priority-_2014-03-29_17-48.jpg|thumbnail|A NamPower employee at work]]
[[File:Power nam9.jpg|thumbnail|Electrical substation of NamPower]]
'''Namibia Power Corporation''', commonly known as '''NamPower''', is the national electric power utility company of [[Namibia]]. The company is responsible for generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in the country. Its activities are licensed, supervised and regulated by the ''Electricity Control Board'' (ECB) of Namibia.<ref name="1R">{{cite web|url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/namibia-energy |title=Namibia: Country Commercial Guide: Energy |publisher=[[International Trade Administration]] | date=29 August 2020 | access-date=12 April 2021 |location=Washington, DC, United States}}</ref><ref name="2R">{{cite web| date=12 April 2021 | url=https://www.devex.com/organizations/namibia-power-corp-nampower-135273 |title=Company Profile of Namibia Power Corporation (NamPower) |publisher=Devex.com |access-date=12 April 2021 |location=Washington, DC}}</ref>
==Location==
The company headquarters are located at NamPower Centre, 15 Luther Street, [[Windhoek]], [[Khomas Region]], Namibia.<ref name="2R"/> The geographical coordinates of the company headquarters are 22°33'17.0"S, 17°05'07.0"E (Latitude:-22.554722; Longitude:17.085278).<ref name="3R">{{google maps| title=Location of NamPower Headquarters |
url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/22%C2%B033'17.0%22S+17%C2%B005'07.0%22E/@-22.5547021,17.0765444,1653m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-22.5547222!4d17.0852778 |access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref>
==History==
NamPower was founded in 1964 as the ''South West Africa Water and Electricity Corporation'' (''SWAWEK'') by the government of [[South Africa]]. SWAWEK was introduced as a company of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of the Republic of South Africa. The early history of the company revolves around the [[Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station|Kunene River hydroelectric project]]. In 1996, several years after Namibia's Independence, the company was renamed ''NamPower''.<ref name="2R"/>
==Operations==
NamPower operates 3 major [[electricity]] generating facilities:
# [[Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station]], a hydroelectricity power plant on the [[Kunene River]] at [[Ruacana]] at the [[Angola]]n border, with installed capacity of 347 megawatts
# [[Van Eck Power Station]], a thermal facility located in Windhoek, powered by coal, with installed capacity of 120 megawatts
# ''Anixas Thermal Power Station'' in [[Walvisbay]], powered by diesel, with generation capacity of 22.5 megawatts.
There is also one standby diesel power station in Walvisbay, ''Paratus Thermal Plant'', with 18 megawatts.<ref name="1R"/>
== Generation Projects ==
According to its 2020-2025 Integrated Strategic Business Plan, the power utility plans to add 250 MW generation capacity to the power grid through both fossil fuel renewable energy generation projects.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Chamwe |first=Kaira |date=2024-09-12 |title=NamPower to add renewables into the grid – Windhoek Observer |url=https://www.observer24.com.na/nampower-to-add-renewables-into-the-grid/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Natural gas ===
The 50 MW Anixas II Power Station was planned to be constructed by the second quarter of 2024 in Walvis Bay, running on low sulphur fuel oil, and both diesel and compressed natural gas as alternative fuels.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Namibian |first=The |date=2021-06-28 |title=NamPower plans new power plant at coast |url=https://www.namibian.com.na/nampower-plans-new-power-plant-at-coast/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Namibian |language=en-GB}}</ref> The construction was however halted due to disagreements between the involved joint venture partners.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Sun |first1=Namibian |last2=Daniels |first2=Otis |date=2024-02-23 |title=Anixas project grinds to standstill |url=https://www.namibiansun.com/energy/anixas-project-grinds-to-standstill2024-02-23 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=Namibian Sun |language=en}}</ref>
=== Solar ===
The [[Omburu Solar Power Station]] is a 20 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power station in [[Omaruru, Namibia|Omaruru]], Erongo Region. It is owned by NamPower and was commissioned in June 2022.
The [[NamPower Solar Power Station|NamPower Rosh Pinah Solar Power Station]] is a planned 100 MW solar power plant at [[Rosh Pinah]]. NamPower has awarded a N$1.4 billion construction contract to a joint venture of China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation and CHINT New Energy Development.<ref name=":0" />
=== Woody Biomass ===
[[File:Heaps of chipped woody biomass in Namibia.jpg|thumbnail|Heaps of chipped woody biomass in Namibia]]
NamPower conducted a feasibility study on a first biomass electricity plant in the country. The concept foresees the utilisation of excess woody biomass, of which the country possesses an estimated 400 million tonnes due to [[woody plant encroachment]]. Woody encroachment is the growth of bushes and trees at the expense of grass and is caused by [[overgrazing]] and climate change. In 2015 NamPower initiated the feasibility study on bush-to-electricity and formed a dedicated biomass project unit. Results and an investment decision are expected for early 2024. The planned 40 megawatts biomass power plant requires an annual supply of 180,000 to 240,000 tonnes of chipped biomass, which can be supplied from within a {{convert|50|km|0}} due to around 10 tonnes of bush biomass harvestable per hectare.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://bioenergyinternational.com/heat-power/nampower-submits-eia-for-otjikoto-biomass-power-project |title=NamPower submits EIA for Otjikoto biomass power project |date=26 October 2020 |publisher=Bioenergy International |access-date=12 April 2021 |author=Bioenergy International |location=Stockholm, Sweden}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NamPower issues tender for 40 MW Otjikoto Biomass Power Station {{!}} Namibia Economist |url=https://economist.com.na/82656/headlines/nampower-issues-tender-for-40mw-otjikoto-biomass-power-station/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2023, NamPower engaged in a partnership with the [[Forest Stewardship Council]] for the purpose of introducing sustainability certification for the future biomass supply chain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Further Opportunities to deal with Bush Encroachment in Namibia |url=https://africa.fsc.org/en-cd/newsfeed/further-opportunities-to-deal-with-bush-encroachment-in-namibia |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Forest Stewardship Council |language=en}}</ref> The plant is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027, at an expected cost of N$ 2 billion.<ref name=":0" />
==See also==
* [[List of power stations in Namibia]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Official website}}
* [https://economist.com.na/13433/mining-energy/nampower-invest-in-bush-to-electricity-power-generation/ Article on NamPower's Bush-to-Electricity Investment in the Namibian Economist]
* {{YouTube| id= MMSOfV2KBjA&list=PLBgxTl3nSfkHwJFu7XsOnnaJANRyuQi7H&index=3 | title= Video on Bush-to-Electricity }}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Electric power companies of Namibia]]
[[Category:Companies based in Windhoek]]
[[Category:1964 establishments in South West Africa]]
[[Category:Public utilities established in 1964]]