Electrical Power Planning in SADC and the Role of the Southern African Power Pool

Abstract

Recognising the benefits of regional integration, SADC countries established the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) through an intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding signed in August 1995, SAPP’s mandate is to provide non-binding regional masterplans to guide electricity generation and transmission infrastructure delivery, with countries retaining the right to develop and prosecute their own national plans. Although SAPP masterplans have been able to demonstrate considerable financial savings and other benefits of regional cooperation, countries have instead continued to develop plans for achieving electricity self-sufficiency. SAPP interactions have demonstrated that regional cooperation requires the adoption of multi-sector planning approaches to establish credible demand forecasts, and a multi-criteria approach to selection of project options going beyond identification of regional least cost options, to incorporate sovereign electricity security and other national interests. In particular, regional plans must be able to demonstrate, from each country’s perspective, the equitable sharing of benefits of integration, while addressing the legitimate security and social concerns.