Hydro, solar power generation up by 23.5 %

ENERGY PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION IN 2022/23

MBABANE – Total electricity generation (both hydro and solar) grew by 23.5 per cent to record 373.9 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in 2022/23 from 302.8 GWh in 2021/22.

This is according to the Company Survey report for 2023, issued by the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Eswatini.

To gauge utilities’ performance under water and electricity services during the period under review, three companies were surveyed, including the energy regulator.

Rains

Hydropower generation rose by 24.8 per cent to 352.5 GWh in 2022/23, benefitting from good rains that supported generation for longer periods. Solar generation, on the other hand, grew by a slower 4.7 per cent to record 21.4 GWh during the same period.

In line with the good performance of local power generation, total imports for the review period declined by 7.4 per cent to 853.7 GWh from 920.6 GWh in the previous period. Electricity consumption grew by a marginal 0.5 per cent to 1129.4 GWh in the review period, from 1 123.6 GWh in the previous year.

On account of a slower increase in sales, coupled with a bigger increase in production, the country imported approximately 75 per cent of its power in total, with a bulk sourced from SA and the difference from Mozambique.

Prospects for the energy subsector remain relatively positive, in line with electricity generation projects earmarked for the short-to-medium term.

Approximately 50.0 MW is planned for hydropower, 40.0 MW biomass, and a staggering 300.0 MW for thermal.

Decrease

Meanwhile, treated water consumption fell by 9.1 per cent in 2022/23 to record 12.88 million kilolitres compared to 14.16 million kilolitres in the previous period.

The decrease was observed both in commercial and households categories.

In the medium term, the subsector is expected to continue with the implementation of projects targeted at increased access to potable water.

Some of these projects will include the ongoing Ezulwini water project, and new projects such as Lomahasha – Namaacha, Manzini Water Supply (Lot 1 and 2) and Shiselweni projects.