Since adopting the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan, the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) is making considerable strides in the
energy sector.
The energy sector has accomplished milestones by funding from the World Bank,
KfW and the government of Norway, for the Malawi-Mozambique Transmission
Interconnector project that came to a financial conclusion of September 2019.
“The construction phase of the project is planned to commence in April 2020, and is
expected to be commissioned by 2022. Upon commissioning, Malawi will be able to
access the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) grid, and trade electricity with other
SADC member states,” said SADC Executive Secretary, Dr. Stergomena Tax, at a
SADC Council of Ministers’ meeting that took place this week.
Additionally, it concluded a feasibility report for the Kolwezi-Solwezi Interconnector in
Zambia, along with substations funded by the New Partnership for Africa's
Development Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility, together with contributions
by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia national utility, Zesco.
Meanwhile, the DRC government also signed a 5,000 MW intergovernmental
agreement with the governments of South Africa, Botswana, DRC, South Africa,
Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Lastly, the construction of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam along the Rufiji River
in Tanzania also commenced in June 2019 and commissioning is expected in 2022.
Once completed, the project will have capacity to produce 2,115 MW of electricity
that will feed into the electricity grids of Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda.
The SADC developed the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan as a
policy roadmap for Southern Africa’s creation of infrastructure as a central framework
to tackle poverty and national integration.