NamPower

NamPower, formally known as Namibia Power Corporation, is Namibia's national electric power utility. Its role covers the development and operation of electricity-generation assets, the transmission of power across the national system, and distribution activities. The company operates within Namibia's electricity market under licences and regulatory supervision from the Electricity Control Board, the country's electricity-sector regulator. The organisation was established in 1964 as the South West Africa Water and Electricity Corporation, commonly abbreviated as SWAWEK. It was created under the South African administration of South West Africa and was introduced as a company associated with the Industrial Development Corporation of the Republic of South Africa. Its early development was closely connected with the proposed and subsequent development of hydroelectric resources on the Kunene River. After Namibia became independent, the utility continued as a central institution in the country's electricity infrastructure. In 1996, it adopted the NamPower name. NamPower's generation portfolio has historically combined hydropower and thermal power. Its most important generating facility is the Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station on the Kunene River near Ruacana, close to the Angolan border. The station has an installed capacity of 347 megawatts and is a major source of domestic generation. The company also operates the Van Eck Power Station in Windhoek, a coal-fired thermal station with an installed capacity of 120 megawatts, and the Anixas Thermal Power Station at Walvis Bay, a diesel-fired facility with a capacity of 22.5 megawatts. The Paratus Thermal Plant at Walvis Bay provides an additional standby diesel-generation capability of 18 megawatts. The utility has pursued additional generation capacity to reduce dependence on imported electricity and strengthen security of supply. Its 2020–2025 Integrated Strategic Business Plan contemplated adding 250 megawatts through a combination of fossil-fuel and renewable-energy projects. This expansion agenda included solar power, flexible thermal generation and investigation of biomass based on Namibia's extensive woody-encroachment problem. NamPower commissioned the 20-megawatt Omburu Solar Power Station in the Erongo Region in June 2022. The company has also planned a 100-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility at Rosh Pinah and awarded a reported N$1.4 billion construction contract to a joint venture involving China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation and CHINT New Energy Development. Separately, NamPower has evaluated a 50-megawatt Anixas II facility at Walvis Bay intended to use low-sulphur fuel oil, with diesel and compressed natural gas considered as alternative fuels. Construction was later halted amid disagreements between the participating joint-venture partners. Another strategic initiative is the proposed use of woody biomass for electricity generation. Namibia's bush-encroachment challenge has created a potentially large supply of woody material, and NamPower began a feasibility programme in 2015. The concept under consideration involves a plant of approximately 40 megawatts, supplied by chipped biomass harvested within a regional collection area. In 2023, NamPower partnered with the Forest Stewardship Council to explore sustainability certification for a future biomass supply chain. The initiative illustrates the utility's effort to link electricity expansion with renewable resources and land-management objectives, although the project remains subject to feasibility work, investment approval and construction decisions. NamPower's headquarters are located at NamPower Centre on Luther Street in Windhoek. As a national utility, its principal public responsibilities are maintaining reliable electricity infrastructure, operating generation and transmission assets, supporting national development, and managing the balance between domestic generation and electricity imports. The available reference material does not establish a current chief executive, detailed ownership structure, financial results or a confirmed official website URL, so those fields are left unspecified.

NamPower's institutional history begins in 1964, when the South West Africa Water and Electricity Corporation, or SWAWEK, was established under the South African administration of South West Africa. The organisation was introduced as a company of the Industrial Development Corporation of the Republic of South Africa. Its initial history was strongly associated with the development of the Kunene River's hydroelectric potential, which later became the basis for the Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station. Following Namibia's independence, the electricity utility became part of the country's national infrastructure framework. Its responsibilities expanded beyond the original hydroelectric-development focus to include the operation of thermal power stations, national transmission infrastructure and distribution activities. The organisation was renamed NamPower in 1996, several years after independence. The name is now used for Namibia Power Corporation, the country's national electric utility. NamPower's generation system has historically included the 347-megawatt Ruacana hydroelectric station near the Angolan border, the 120-megawatt coal-fired Van Eck station in Windhoek, and the 22.5-megawatt diesel-fired Anixas station at Walvis Bay. The 18-megawatt Paratus plant, also at Walvis Bay, serves as standby diesel capacity. Together, these facilities reflect Namibia's mix of hydropower and thermal generation and the need for dispatchable resources in a relatively small and geographically dispersed electricity system. The utility's later planning has focused on adding capacity and diversifying the generation mix. Its 2020–2025 Integrated Strategic Business Plan identified an objective of adding 250 megawatts through fossil-fuel and renewable projects. Solar power became a visible part of this expansion. NamPower's 20-megawatt Omburu Solar Power Station in the Erongo Region was commissioned in June 2022. A larger 100-megawatt solar facility was planned for Rosh Pinah, with a reported N$1.4 billion construction award to a joint venture involving China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation and CHINT New Energy Development. NamPower has also explored flexible thermal generation. The planned Anixas II station at Walvis Bay was designed around a 50-megawatt capacity and was expected to use low-sulphur fuel oil, with diesel and compressed natural gas as alternative fuels. The project did not proceed smoothly: construction was halted following disagreements among the joint-venture partners. A separate biomass programme addresses Namibia's woody-encroachment challenge. NamPower initiated a feasibility study in 2015 and established a dedicated biomass project unit. The proposal envisages a roughly 40-megawatt plant supplied by chipped woody material. The concept depends on establishing a reliable, economically viable and environmentally sustainable supply chain. In 2023, NamPower engaged with the Forest Stewardship Council on sustainability certification for future biomass supplies. The reference material anticipates a possible plant completion in 2027, but this should be treated as a plan rather than a confirmed operating milestone. NamPower's contemporary role is therefore broader than that of a conventional generating company. It is a national infrastructure operator responsible for major elements of Namibia's electricity value chain, including generation, transmission and distribution. Its activities are licensed and supervised by Namibia's Electricity Control Board. The available reference material does not provide verified information about current executives, detailed corporate ownership arrangements, financial performance or a confirmed official web address.

• 2023

  Biomass sustainability partnership

  [1]NamPoweren.wikipedia.org

  NamPower partnered with the Forest Stewardship Council on sustainability certification for a potential future biomass supply chain.

• 2022

  Omburu solar station commissioned

  [1]NamPoweren.wikipedia.org

  The 20-megawatt Omburu photovoltaic station in the Erongo Region entered service.

• 2015

  Biomass feasibility programme initiated

  [1]NamPoweren.wikipedia.org

  NamPower began a feasibility study and created a dedicated project unit to investigate producing electricity from Namibia's excess woody biomass.

• 1996

  Renamed NamPower

  [1]NamPoweren.wikipedia.org

  Several years after Namibia's independence, the electricity corporation adopted the NamPower name.

• 1964

  SWAWEK established

  [1]NamPoweren.wikipedia.org

  The South West Africa Water and Electricity Corporation was established under the South African administration of South West Africa, with early activity linked to the Kunene River hydroelectric project.

National electricity infrastructure provider focused on power generation, transmission, distribution and expansion of domestic generating capacity.

• Hydroelectric generation

  Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station

  NamPower's major hydroelectric facility is located on the Kunene River at Ruacana near Namibia's border with Angola. With an installed capacity of 347 megawatts, it is the largest generating asset identified in the reference material and a central component of Namibia's domestic electricity-generation system.

• Coal-fired thermal generation

  Van Eck Power Station

  The Van Eck Power Station is a coal-powered thermal facility in Windhoek with an installed capacity of 120 megawatts. It forms part of NamPower's conventional, dispatchable generation portfolio.

• Diesel thermal generation

  Anixas Thermal Power Station

  Located at Walvis Bay, Anixas is a diesel-fired power station with a stated generation capacity of 22.5 megawatts. It provides thermal generation capacity within NamPower's coastal electricity infrastructure.

• Standby diesel generation

  Paratus Thermal Plant

  The Paratus Thermal Plant at Walvis Bay is identified as a standby diesel power station with an 18-megawatt capacity. Its role is to provide additional reserve or emergency generation rather than serve as NamPower's principal generation source.

• Solar photovoltaic generation · 2022

  Omburu Solar Power Station

  Omburu is a 20-megawatt solar photovoltaic power station in Omaruru in Namibia's Erongo Region. It is owned by NamPower and was commissioned in June 2022, representing a significant move toward utility-owned renewable generation.

• Planned solar photovoltaic generation

  Rosh Pinah Solar Power Station

  The planned Rosh Pinah project is a 100-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility. NamPower awarded a reported N$1.4 billion construction contract to a joint venture involving China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation and CHINT New Energy Development.

• Planned flexible thermal generation

  Anixas II Power Station

  Anixas II was planned as a 50-megawatt Walvis Bay power station using low-sulphur fuel oil, with diesel and compressed natural gas considered as alternative fuels. Construction was halted following disagreements between the involved joint-venture partners.

• Planned biomass generation

  Woody-biomass power project

  NamPower has investigated a proposed biomass power station of approximately 40 megawatts using chipped woody material associated with Namibia's bush-encroachment problem. The project requires a large, sustainable biomass supply chain and remains a development concept rather than an operating plant.

• 2023

  Sustainability certification for biomass supplyStrategy

  Background

  NamPower's proposed biomass generation project depends on obtaining a dependable and environmentally responsible supply of woody material.

  Action taken

  The utility partnered with the Forest Stewardship Council to explore sustainability certification for a future biomass supply chain.

  Aftermath

  The partnership supported development of the biomass concept, but the plant still required further feasibility work and an investment decision.

  Source

• 2022

  Commissioning of Omburu Solar Power StationProduct launch

  Background

  NamPower sought to diversify its generation portfolio and add domestic renewable capacity.

  Action taken

  The company commissioned a 20-megawatt photovoltaic power station at Omburu in the Erongo Region.

  Aftermath

  Omburu became an operating NamPower-owned solar asset and an identifiable part of the utility's renewable-generation expansion.

  Source

• 2020

  Integrated Strategic Business Plan capacity expansionStrategy

  Background

  NamPower's 2020–2025 strategic planning identified a need to expand Namibia's generating capacity and combine fossil-fuel and renewable projects.

  Action taken

  The plan targeted the addition of 250 megawatts to the national grid through a portfolio of generation projects.

  Aftermath

  The plan provided the framework for subsequent solar, thermal and biomass initiatives, although the reference material does not confirm that the full capacity target was completed.

  Source

• Rosh Pinah solar project contractProduct launch

  Background

  NamPower planned a larger solar facility to increase domestic generation capacity.

  Action taken

  The utility awarded a reported N$1.4 billion contract for a 100-megawatt Rosh Pinah solar plant to a joint venture involving China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation and CHINT New Energy Development.

  Aftermath

  The project remained identified as planned in the reference material; an operating date is not established.

  Reported construction contract value. N$1.4 billion (Project award; year not specified in the reference material)

  Source

• Anixas II construction haltedOther

  Background

  NamPower planned a 50-megawatt flexible thermal facility at Walvis Bay with several possible fuels.

  Action taken

  Construction was halted after disagreements arose between the joint-venture partners involved in the project.

  Aftermath

  The reference material does not establish a restart date, revised ownership arrangement or final cancellation.

  Source

• 2023

  NamPower develops biomass electricity concept[1]NamPoweren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  NamPower worked with the Forest Stewardship Council on sustainability certification for a possible woody-biomass supply chain supporting a proposed biomass power plant.

• 2022

  Omburu Solar Power Station commissioned[1]NamPoweren.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  NamPower commissioned the 20-megawatt Omburu photovoltaic power station in Namibia's Erongo Region, adding a utility-owned solar asset to its generation portfolio.

• NamPower advances Rosh Pinah solar project[1]NamPoweren.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  NamPower awarded a reported N$1.4 billion contract for a planned 100-megawatt solar power station at Rosh Pinah to a joint venture involving China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation and CHINT New Energy Development.

• Construction of Anixas II halted amid joint-venture disagreement[1]NamPoweren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The planned Anixas II generation project at Walvis Bay, designed for a 50-megawatt output and multiple fuel options, was halted after disagreements between the participating joint-venture partners.

1. 1NamPoweren.wikipedia.org
2. 2NAMIBIA • Nampower teams up with Italy's BaxEnergy to optimise its production of renewables - 29/05/2020 - Africa Intelligenceafricaintelligence.com