Interconnection of grids will ensure security and reliability of energy in Africa, says Amoako
By Yinka Adeyemi, Communication Officer, ECA
24 February 2004

Regional energy cooperation through interconnection of electricity grids and cross-border trade is a cost-effective way of ensuring security and reliability of energy supply in Africa, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) K.Y Amoako said today in Addis Ababa.

“This is why the creation of power pools ranks high on the agenda of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and most of the regional economic communities”, he said in a welcome address to ministers of energy and infrastructure from the subregion.

The ministers – from Burundi, DRC, Egypt, Kenya, Sudan and Ethiopia - met to consider the report of their subregional energy experts and sign a memorandum of understanding to formally launch the newly formed Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP).

Although it is the last of such subregional power pools in Africa, Mr. Amoako said EAPP could quickly become operational if members drew lessons from existing cross-border electricity sharing arrangements.

He said useful lessons could be drawn from the power sharing arrangement between Uganda and Kenya; Uganda and Northern Tanzania; Uganda and Rwanda and between Rwanda, Burundi and the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

To assist the subregional efforts, ECA had commissioned a study on the “Interconnection of Electricity Grids in West Africa”; carried out a research on “Energy integration in Africa” and published a book on “Assessment of power pooling arrangements in Africa”, said Amoako.

He said ECA’s subregional office in Rwanda had also been involved in the promoting power infrastructures as part of its post-conflict agenda for the recovery and reconstruction of the Great Lakes countries.

The address was read on his behalf by Dr. Josue Dione, ECA’s Director of Sustainable Development Division.