Namibias national power utility, Nampower has received a clearance certificate from the ministry for its proposed 300MW coal-fired power station at Arandis
The certificate was issued recently by the ministry of environment and tourism’s department of environmental affairs (DEA).
Environmental commissioner Teofilus Nghitila said the socio-economic impact assessment of the project was sufficient to grant the project permission to go ahead.
The new power station is expected to start producing electricity by 2014.
The new facility could help meet Namibia’s peak energy demand of over 500MW when combined with the capacity of Ruacana, Van Eck and Anixas power plants.
The coal-fired power station is one of the possible solutions to the current electricity shortage being faced by Namibia. Nuclear energy is also still a serious consideration for Namibia.
The Deputy minister of mines and energy, Willem Isaacks, said at the fourth Nuclear Regulatory Body of Africa (FNRBA) conference held in Swakopmund recently that Namibia took the prospect of nuclear power generation seriously in its endeavour to be self-reliant.
A private company, Arandis Power, has also submitted an application to the DEA for environmental clearance for a 120MW power plant and waste oil recycling plant, also to be situated in Arandis.
