IT’S COSTLY: Kenewendo*Cold, dark winter ahead as power crisis deepens
*Supply constraints expected to ease by mid-June 2025
As the Morupule B Power Station continues to struggle with operational challenges, consumers should brace for long, cold nights and rolling blackouts throughout winter.
On March 22, 2025, various areas across the country were plunged into darkness as Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) reintroduced rotational load shedding to match supply and demand to prevent a total system failure.
The crisis emanated from power supply shortfall due to failures at Morupule B Unit 2 and Unit 4.This has been made even worse by the fact that Unit 3 has been out of operation undergoing remedial works therefore leaving only Unit 1 available for service. Despite its availability, Unit1 is operating below capacity, giving out 105MW instead of 150MW.
Addressing the power crisis, Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Kenewendo, revealed that government is investing in short term solutions to assist the national power utility to manage the situation.
“The supply situation is expected to gradually improve with recovery of Morupule B units and ongoing efforts to secure power imports from South Africa and other member countries of the Southern African Power Pool. Baring the unforeseen, it is expected that the supply constrains will ease by mid-June 2025.
However, the security of supply will only be at the desired level post 2027 when new coal fired base load generation would be on the grid,” explained Kenewendo emphasising that the situation will continue to prevail until completion of the ongoing Morupule B defects remediation project which is expected to be accomplished at the end of 2027.
Since commencement of commercial operations in 2014, Morupule B has never operated optimally at the industry standard of 85%. During the period 2014-2019, the plant averaged 57%, before falling to 33% in 2020-2022 due to construction and equipment defects which are being addressed through the ongoing remedial works. Even after interventions, the plant averaged 57% in 2023-25 before plunging into its current crisis.
To compensate for the chronic failures, Botswana has turned to costly power imports, spending P18.1 billion over 13 years. Local generation currently meets just 65% of demand, with 35% covered by imports.
“There is a shortage of power in the region, and the available electricity in the market, especially during peak periods, is predominantly supplied from emergency or diesel plants, which comes at prohibitive rates. Further, power import bills from the sister utilities have gone unpaid for some time, leading to a risk of export curtailment, which, if it materialises, will leave Botswana with a nationwide blackout,” warned Kenewendo.
Morupule B was constructed for USD 825 million through a loan provided by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). As of March 2025, the loan has an outstanding balance of P3 billion. With BPC currently paying annual instalment of USD56 million, the debt is set to be cleared by 2030.
Hopes for stability however remain distant. Having been shut down since November 2024, Unit 3 is only 60% repaired and is expected back in operation by November 2025. Units 1 and 2 are slated for remedial work in 2026 and 2027, with officials hoping this will boost output to 80%.
