At last, SA comes to the Grand Inga power party

17th January 2014

  

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By: Hugh Hodge

A great sense of elation and relief per- meated my daily routine when I read in the news late last year that South Africa’s diplomatic team, spearheaded by President Jacob Zuma, had signed a treaty in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to not only join in, but also buy half of the power produced by the first stage of the Grand Inga power project.

The site, long recognised by bulk utility supply visionaries as the most favourable hydroelectric site in the world, is situated where the mighty Congo river descends equatorial Africa’s western escarpment.

Zuma indicated that the project has the potential to change the economic prospects of the DRC, the region and the continent. “I must convey how particularly pleased and excited I am by the progress taking place towards [its] realisation,” he said, adding: “As South Africans, we are proud that we will be partnering with the people and the government of the DRC in the development of this project.”

Inga 1, built in the 1970s, and Inga 2, built in the 1980s, have the combined capa- city, when refurbished, to produce about 1 800 MW. The treaty signed last year was about the development of only a small portion of Grand Inga, namely Inga 3. Although this next phase will only add another 4 800 MW to the output and, reportedly, will cost about R100-billion, the bigger the vision, the lower will become the unit cost of producing electricity over time.

The phenomena of reducing the cost of bulk utility supply over time was observed in the history of the Gauteng water supply system. Contrary to the trend of most modern consumption goods, but true to economies of scale, the tariff of the Rand Water Board’s water had, in fact, dropped since it started operations in 1903. The average inclusive charge for water to all consumers on average was as shown in the table.

The same can be true for electricity supplied from Grand Inga in the decades to come.

When the industrial revolution came to Africa, essentially through the expansion of the British Empire, the two most vital commodities needed were bulk water and electricity – so great, in fact, were the opportunities that Ministerial oversight was separated to guarantee the delivery of cheap and effective supplies through independent, but connected, regional and national networks.

During the middle of the last century, South African civil engineer and dam builder extraordinaire Henry Olivier was knighted by the Queen for his work in the developing countries of the British Empire, among them Egypt, Pakistan, Uganda and Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe respectively). Notably, Inga was not developed, as it was not part of the British Empire, but it was mentioned in the great engineer’s book, Dam It, published during the 1970s. The University of the Witwatersrand’s final-year civil engineering class of 1973, of which I was part, was very fortunate to enjoy a visit from the elderly, but very vital, Sir Henry, during which he shared his books and his vision for political and infrastructural cross-border coope- ration, particularly between the countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

By the dawn of the twenty-first century, power utility Eskom had published brochures of its own extensive investigations into the huge potential of the Inga hydroelectric site supplying a Western Corridor running the full length of Africa and capable of also supplying parts of Europe and the Middle East. Figures as high as 150 000 MW potential, or nearly four times the total power consumption of South Africa, were quoted by Eskom for the Inga site, and this without even building a dam. This compares favourably with the planned 100 000 MW from Inga now being conservatively quoted in some media sources. The first stage of 2 450 MW, to which South Africa’s announced treaty with the DRC now demonstrates commitment, seems small in comparison, but at least it is a start.

The huge attraction of Inga is, of course, the perpetual, renewable source of power, which, when harnessed, will be much cheaper and more sustainable than any other form of power generation. Opponents of the scheme will argue against the kilometres of transmission lines, conjuring up continual images of political instability. They may even quote climate change, but the greater the dependence, the greater the need will be to create stable and protective mechanisms to safeguard and grow this valuable regional development tool. One of these mechanisms should be limiting urban sprawl and promoting high-rise apartment living so that those who are afraid the African continent will be overrun by human beings can be silenced.

This will require better education systems so that more people will become better adapted to economic hubs and a modern city lifestyle.

 

Hodge is a municipal infrastructure and secular visionary support specialist - hughh@xsinet.co.za

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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