Namibia is suffering a major electricity shortage, with dry conditions
reducing output from the country's main hydro-electric scheme.

 The Kunene river, on the border with Angola, is at an all-time low and
the Ruacana hydro-electric scheme which it feeds is running at about 20
percent of its usual output.

 Ruacana is currently generating 58 to 60 megawatts, down from the usual
320 megawatts, said Leake Hangala, managing director of the state-owned
power utility Nampower. 

 The region has had poor rains and the river is flowing at 28 cubic metres
per second, way below the 90 to 100 cubic metres per second usual for this
time of year.

 A cold winter was also adding to demand for power... 
"We have a crisis, but it is manageable," Hangala told Reuters... 
"The old Van Eck (coal-fired power station in Windhoek) is in tiptop shape
as a stand-by option and we have coal in stock," . . he said, but added
that it would be very costly to run it on a permanent basis.  . . 

 Namibia consumes an average of 290 MW of power a day of which a maximum
of 200 MW can be imported from South Africa's Eskom . 
"The ideal situation is an import of 150 MW a day to ensure that our lines
are not overstretched," Hangala said. . . 
"The problem with Ruacana is that we don't have a large storage
dam there and are therefore wholly dependent on the flow patterns of the
Kunene." .  . 

  A proposed hydro-electric scheme and dam at Epupa on the Kunene river is
under consideration and a feasibility study is expected to be published in
April next year. The plant, which could generate 400 MW ofpower, is
opposed by nomadic Himba people who live in the area. 

  Gas from the Kudu fields off the southern Namibian coast could also be
used to alleviate the power shortage in the longer term, but the first gas
is expected on shore in 2001.
 
  Nampower has ruled out increasing its electricity tariffs for the time
being. . . If the current dry trends continue, expectations are that the
Kunene could run dry as early as September this year. . . . . 

06:59  07-01-97 . .