Power Pool

POWER POOL

The SAPP, or Southern African Power Pool, is the first formal international power pool in Africa. It was created with the primary aim of providing reliable and economical electricity supply to the consumers of each of the SAPP members, consistent with the reasonable utilisation of natural resources and the effect on the environment.

SAPP has made it possible for members to delay capital expenditure on new plants due to the existence of interconnections and a power pool in the region. This is an important aspect in developing the economies of southern Africa.

The objectives of the SAPP are to:

	Co-ordinate and co-operate in the planning and operation of electricity power systems to minimise costs, while maintaining reliability, autonomy and self-sufficiency;
	Increase interconnectivity between SADC countries to increase the reliability of power supplies;
	Harmonise relationships between member utilities and facilitation of cross-border electricity trading;
	Provide a forum for the development of a world-class, robust, safe, efficient, reliable and stable interconnected electrical system in the southern African region;
	Co-ordinate and enforce common regional standards of quality of supply, measurement and monitoring of systems performance;
	Facilitate the development of regional expertise through training programmes and research;
	Increase power accessibility in rural communities;
	Implement strategies in support of sustainable development priorities; and
	Recover costs of operations and equitably share benefits, including reductions in generating capacity and fuel costs, and improving use of hydroelectric energy.

The SAPP faces major challenges such as:

	Lack of infrastucture to deliver electricity;
	Lack of maintenance of infrastructure;
	Limited funds fo finance new investments;
	Insufficient generation - running out of excess capacity by 2007; and
	High losses.

It is now possible for SAPP members to delay capital expenditure on new plants due to the existence of interconnections and a power pool in the region. This is an important aspect in developing the economies of southern Africa.