Omburu solar plant to reduce overall energy cost
…construction phase to employ some 330 people
Both the Khan 20MW solar plant and the Omburu 20MW solar projects will significantly contribute towards achieving the national energy policy target of 80% by 2023, the renewable energy policy target of 70% by 2023, and will assist in the overall reduction in the cost of energy to the Namibian consumers.
The Omburu 20MW solar PV project is expected to be completed at the beginning of November 2021 and is estimated to employ approximately 330 persons during the construction period.
Namibia Power Utility (NamPower) Managing Director, Simson Haulofu at the signing of development agreements yesterday stated that concerning local content and capacity building, it is estimated that 37% of the project’s capital expenditure will be spent on local Namibian content where all semi-skilled and unskilled labour will be recruited from the local community.
Haulofu stated that the construction of the Omburu power plant will be based on a lump-sum turn-key basis where the joint venture of Hopsol and Tulive Private Equity will be appointed to design, procure, construct, commission, test, and handover the solar PV plant to NamPower.
“The bid was awarded to the joint venture of Hopsol and Tulive Private Equity for a total amount of N$317 million (excl. VAT),” said Haulofu.
On completion, the Omburu project will have a net generation capacity of 20MW, producing a total of 64GWh annually, this is equivalent to supplying an average of 16 000 Namibian homes annually.
“To fulfill the country’s developmental goals, we need a sufficient supply of electricity, as the country continues to import a significant share of its electricity needs, from the SADC region. NamPower’s planned generation project portfolio, which includes the two 20MW solar PV power plants, is aimed at filling that supply gap and ensuring a reliable supply of electricity,” outlined Haulofu.
Access Aussenkjer Solar One Namibia emerged as the successful bidder for the Omburo project from an openly advertised and competitive bidding process with an offered base electricity tariff of N$0.4905 per kilowatt-hour, and a fixed annual escalation rate of 3%.
Representing Access Aussenkjer Solar One Namibia, Tironenn Kauluma said the project will contribute greatly to reducing the overall tariffs to customers by introducing an affordable energy grid in Namibia.