South Africa’s Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, has revealed that the country has opened talks with Zambia and Zimbabwe about the possibility of routing an electricity transmission line from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through their territories.
The line would form part of the Grand Inga hydropower project, from which South Africa hopes to receive up to 2,500 megawatts of electricity.
Mantashe made the comments on Tuesday while addressing questions from MPs in the Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources.
The committee had sought clarity on the status of South Africa’s involvement in the Grand Inga project, particularly in light of the government’s earlier decision to delay its participation. Said Mantashe:
The Grand Inga project is not ours; it’s a DRC project, given to the Spanish and Chinese. We have a right to buy equity in it, which would have to be approved by the DRC.
We have not bought that equity, so we can’t really pretend to be managing the Inga project. It is not our project.
We have committed ourselves to a quantity of electricity that will be taken up by South Africa, but the driving of the project is out of our jurisdiction.
MKP MP Crown Prince Adil Nchabaleng pushed back against the Minister’s position, saying South Africa still sees the project as viable. He said:
You can’t expect to tell us that you are going to power South Africa from the Grand Inga project. Is South Africa talking about a concession to resell in that market with regard to the 2 500 MW as an investment partnership? You cannot power South Africa from the Grand Inga project.
Mantashe maintained that discussions were still ongoing, involving Zambia and Zimbabwe, as the power lines from the DRC would pass through both countries. He said:
In the plan for Grand Inga, there is a plan for a transmission line to go through two countries to South Africa, so it is possible. Electricity is not loaded in a truck; it is transmitted through a line that can cross borders. In our discussions, we have explored the possibility of involving Zimbabwe and Zambia, as the transmission line will cross their territory. So, it is possible to get electricity from Grand Inga.
The Grand Inga Hydropower Project, a massive dam development on the Congo River in the DRC, is intended to generate a large amount of electricity, with South Africa positioned as one of the key recipients.
South Africa has shown particular interest in importing electricity from Inga 3, the first of the planned new hydropower stations under the project.
More: IOL
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