02 Apr 2025

 The situation that Botswana finds itself in, that has forced the nation away from using electricity willy nilly, to load management activities that at the end of the day balance supply and demand call for intensified public education.

This was emphasised by Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) marketing and communications manager, Ms Kefilwe Kebafetotse. With the ongoing maintenance works at Morupule B Power Station compounding the crisis, Ms Kebafetotse sees an urgency to enlighten consumers to mitigate the escalating power demand that outstrips supply.

She said Botswana’s electricity consumption stood at approximately 4 800 gigawatt-hours annually, with a peak demand reaching 680 megawatts and a base load of 400 megawatts, with the possibility of growth by around five per cent each year, Ms Kebafetotse said.

However, with the ongoing power supply constraints, Ms Kebafetotse stated that currently BPC’s electricity generation capacity from all available sources had increased to at least 464MW, following the restoration of one unit at Morupule B, which underwent maintenance works on March 22.

At present, Ms Kebafetotse said local generation met about 65 per cent of the electricity demand, with the remainder being imported from neighbouring countries like South Africa. However, she said the rising costs of these power imports posed significant challenges as regional generation capacity struggled to keep pace with demand. She explained that electricity accounted for over 40 per cent of Botswana’s overall energy use, with households being the primary consumers.

Addressing household energy consumption is critical for energy policy, as even minor adjustments in consumer behaviour can lead to significant reductions in electricity demand, Ms Kebafetotse urged individuals to adopt energy-saving habits such as switching off unnecessary lights and appliances, regularly maintaining electrical devices, and transitioning to energy-efficient alternatives.

Empowering consumers with information and encouraging responsible usage, she said, could help control electricity supply challenges and establish a more sustainable energy future.

Meanwhile, addressing Parliament recently, Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo said bilateral agreement negotiations with regional power utilities to look into reasonable import prices, as well as ensure security of supply were ongoing.

Ms Kenewendo said this, however, has become difficult by the day as the regional electricity suppliers complain of BPC’s history of delayed payments, leading some to ask for advance payment as part of conditions for the bi-lateral agreements.

She said while the performance of Morupule B Power Station had been problematic since commissioning of the plant, the facility significantly contributed to the national electricity demand at a relatively low unit cost.

Ms Kenewendo said the corporation continued to suffer financially as a result of non-cost-reflective tariffs and suggested an adjustment of electricity tariffs were adjusted to be cost-reflective and reviewed annually.

Government is making progress to transition from coal fired generation to a sustainable new energy mix comprising renewable and non-renewable energy sources as well as to position Botswana as a hub for renewable energy in the region, Ms Kenewendo said. ENDS