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dam-l Energy Min. urges decision on Epupa/LS

>From The Namibian:

August 23, 1999 - Web posted at 09:25 a.m. GMT

      Delays on Epupa 'hurting' Namibia

      CHRISTOF MALETSKY

      NAMIBIA cannot afford further delays on the controversial Epupa
hydropower scheme on the Kunene river
      because of the country's increasing demand for power.

      Director of Energy in the Ministry of Mines, Paulinus Shilamba, said
he had written to the Angolan
      government reminding them that the two sides must meet to decide
where to build the hydropower scheme.

      Shilamba told The Namibian on Friday that continued postponement
would definitely affect several key
      Namibian projects including the Haib Copper Mine which will need
180MW, Scorpion Zinc Mine 70MW,
      Walvis Bay export processing zone 50MW, Okahandja Manganese Smelter
130MW and "many others".

      "All these projects put pressure on us. And we are importing up 70
per cent of our power from South Africa at
      the moment while our power demands continue to rise. By 2006 we will
need additional power," he said.

      The Mines official said Namibia was prepared to meet their Angolan
counterparts "any time".

      "Unfortunately they have not yet come back to us to indicate when we
can meet. The meeting must be in
      Windhoek this time," he said.

      Namibia was hoping that a firm decision on the site would be taken by
mid-year.

      The first phase of development includes mobilising funds, tendering,
measures to lessen the impact of the
      construction of the dam on local people, possible compensation for
them, and also the final drawing up of
      plans.

      Actual construction is likely to kick off next year.

      The two countries are at odds over the site for the dam.

      The Angolans are believed to be keen on the Baynes site because it
will mean they will be able to renovate and
      regulate the Gove dam inside Angola which was damaged during the
civil war and has not been regulated
      since 1975.

      The Namibian Government sees the Baynes site as too small, despite
its environmental and social advantages,
      and regards the larger Epupa Falls site as a prestige site.

      Namibia also cites the uncertain situation in southern Angola, and
the millions of dollars needed to repair
      Gove, as factors in favour of the Epupa site.

      The final report of a feasibility study by a consortium of Namibian,
Swedish, Norwegian and Angolan
      consultants punts the environmentally more damaging Epupa Falls dam
site as the more economically viable
      option for the controversial project.

      The draft final report puts the total price for the Epupa site
project at US$539,4 million - around N$3 236,4
      million - and the cost of the Baynes site scheme at US$551,2 million
(around N$3 307,2 million).




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      Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
        and Editor, World Rivers Review
           International Rivers Network
              1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
                  Tel. (510) 848 1155   Fax (510) 848 1008
                        http://www.irn.org
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