Africa-Press – Botswana. A successful implementation of the Jindal Mmamabula Energy Project, a planned 300 megawatt (MW) power station, whose output would eventually rise to 600MW, along with an associated coal mine, could go a long way in improving Botswana’s self-sufficiency in energy output.
This was said by the President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, on July 25, while hosting senior management of Jindal Steel and Power, whose subsidiary Jindal Resources Botswana, will work on the Mmamabula Project.
He told the Jindal management, who had signed a Power Purchase Agreement with Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) before paying the courtesy call on the President in Gaborone that the optimum use of the country’s vast coal reserves was long overdue.
President Masisi said: “We are open for business, and we are in a hurry to get you started, looking at the timelines, you have had enormous reservoir of patience, and we are happy that you have started, and we look forward to you proving to us that it has been worth the wait. We are looking forward to you getting busy around Mmamabula and generating power, and doubling the output quickly.”
The head of the visiting delegation, Jindal Steel and Power Chairman, Mr Naveen Jindal told the President that Botswana could become a net exporter of electricity after the completion of the 600 MW plant in 2026 .
“We have been active here for 10 years now. Our team kept on, and the result is now looking good, we had initially made commitments and agreements to set up the plant by 2028. But we now want to do it by 2026, and we hope to start the project towards the end of this year. There is so much reserves of coal in this country, this is a black diamond, we could produce surplus energy to Botswana and export in Southern Africa,” Mr Jindal said.
There has been global criticism of fossil fuels, with the world moving towards green technology and renewable energy but Mr Jindal said Botswana and other developing countries needed to be offered the leeway to use their energy sources for development.
“We agree we need to gradually move towards renewable energy, but some other countries have gas or oil and use that; if God has given us coal, we need to use it for economic prosperity and development. We are looking at 600MW which would benefit the country’s energy needs, and could generate about a billion dollars for the country gross domestic product (GDP) and improve the quality of life.”
In an interview after the courtesy call, the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Mr Lefoko Moagi said that while Botswana was working on investing in renewable energy and on mitigating the impact of fossil fuels on the environment, this was still a necessary development.
Mr Moagi said: “The world’s greatest greenhouse emissions come by far from the developed world, while Botswana and Sub-Saharan Africa contribute very little currently to global emissions. There needs to be a just transition that allows us to use our resources to develop. But we are mindful of the environment, we are using technologies to ensure responsible coal mining and coal-fired energy.
He said the Mmamabula project, with the mine and power station could generate up to 4 000 jobs, and downstream activities could yield more commercial activity in the area.
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