100 key decision-makers expected in Kenya from 25-27th March for the Powering East Africa meeting
NAIROBI, Kenya, February 18, 2015/ -- As
we witness utilities across the continent struggling to acquire and
evacuate electricity sufficient enough to reach a base-load,
transmission is fast-proving the biggest barrier to energy access across
Africa.
Presently,
there are never-before-seen levels of investment into the power sector-
no longer is it simply the poor cousin of exploration. Investors today
view power as an opportunity quoted by some as so vast it will make the
returns of the African telecoms giants insignificant by comparison.
However,
despite over US$8bln of project investments in greenfield projects in
South Africa alone, transmission continues to collapse, significantly
impacting the social and political landscape of the continent. In
addition, this threatens the bankability of future generation projects
already under development.
After
over 20 years in development, the EAPP, SAPP, African Development Bank,
China Development Bank and World Bank together with their public sector
partners in Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and
South Africa are starting to make headway which could finally see an
end to the transmission crisis.
These
projects could be the start of incredible opportunities for East and
Southern Africa, promoting everything from township electrification to
major industrial development. This outcome is only possible if these
countries can maximise the capacity of the presently elusive
manufacturers and industrialists looking to take advantage of the export
zones currently under development.
You
only have to see what the UAE has achieved to see how a resource-based
economy can transform a country’s riches if the right investments in
infrastructure are made. On the flip side, there are examples where
these critical investments were not made - resulting in economic and
social turmoil.
The
question therefore is this – which president will rise to the challenge
and build a legacy on the continent that reads, “I truly brought
electricity to Africa, I truly made a difference?”
EnergyNet,
as it has been doing for the last 17 years, will facilitate this debate
by welcoming 100 key decision-makers to Kenya from 25-27th March for
the Powering East Africa meeting (http://www.powering-eastafrica.com).
Major DFIs, power developers and transmission companies will come
together to influence the conversation, enabling participants to
understand what’s happening to East Africa’s transmission network in the
medium to long term. For more information, visit www.powering-eastafrica.com
Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of EnergyNet Ltd.
EnergyNet welcomes your contribution to this debate. To get involved, tweet us at @EnergyNet_Ltd #poweringeastafrica or contact pe-a@energynet.co.uk
SOURCE
EnergyNet Ltd.
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