NamPower says it is currently in the process of extending the generation licence of its 49-year-old Van Eck Power Station by another 10 years in an effort to improve electricity supplies in the country.
Namibia’s power utility indicated that the aging power station’s decommissioning was only dependent on other generation capacities being added to the Namibian grid.
“The Van Eck Power Station has an installed capacity of 120 MW. However, due the power station’s ageing infrastructure the 4 x 30 MW units are restricted to 25 MW per unit of which only a maximum of two are operated at any given time and the other two on standby,” NamPower Managing Director, Kahenge Simson Haulofu said in response to an inquiry from The Brief.
NamPower’s bet on the old coal powered power plant comes as the company’s total generation capacity from its three power plants currently stands at 459.5 MW against a demand of over 600 MW, with Van Eck Power Station operating at 75% capacity due to aging infrastructure.
On global calls to ban the use of fossil fuels such as coal for power generation, which is used to power the plant, Haulofu said, Van Eck will continue to be utilised only for its Synchronised Condenser Mode for system stability.
“Currently, only Units 1 & 2 has this functionality which will be also added to Units 3 & 4. Plans are also underway to utilise the power station for battery storage when the boilers are decommissioned,” he said.
With an installed capacity of 130MW and with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) having contributed only 9% of the total electricity during the financial year 2020/2021, the NamPower MD said he did not believe energy from solar alone is the best solution towards addressing the country’s power requirements.
“NamPower does not believe that energy from solar alone is the best solution towards addressing the country’s power requirements, but that a mixed supply from different renewable sources will have a bigger impact on addressing the country’s electricity requirements,” Haulofu said.
Commenting on whether NamPower could consider the use of uranium power plants, considering the abundant uranium deposits in the country and lower product costs of such plants, he said, “Currently there are no approved plans of a uranium power plant, however the Ministry of Mines and Energy is in the process of reviewing the National Integrated Resource Plan (NIRP) and will look at possible supply options preferably supply sources that require local fuel. In addition, NamPower is also in the process of reviewing its own Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) which will also explore potential supply options.”
NamPower operates the Ruacana Hydro, which is currently producing 347 MW, Van Eck Coal 90 MW, Anixas HFO 22.5 MW and is currently in the process of setting up its own 20 MW solar plant.
*The entire interview will be published on Friday.
