The impact of Africa’s rising number of renewable energy projects is being leveraged by more extensive powerline connectivity, in line with a vision for a regional power network.

Namibia and Angola are among those countries in southern Africa that are leveraging their competitive advantages in renewable energy sources. With its wind and solar resources, Namibia has its eyes on producing low-carbon electricity and green hydrogen – opening the door to the production of green hot briquetted iron. In Angola, the proposed Baynes Hydropower Plant on the Kunene River plans to generate 600 MW of clean power.

To distribute this energy to mining complexes, industrial hubs and other demand points, a number of powerlines are currently underway. These interconnectors are growing the potential for sharing of energy across borders within the southern African region, according to Darryll Kilian, partner and principal environmental consultant at SRK Consulting (South Africa).

Exporting power

“African countries are generating power for their own use, but many are looking to increase electricity sales across their borders,” said Kilian. “An added advantage of extending this infrastructure is that it provides greater network resilience if there are temporary shortages caused by breakdowns or – in the case of hydro power, reduced generation due to drought.”

To accelerate energy projects in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the World Bank has invested almost US$30 million with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), he pointed out.

“SRK Consulting (South Africa) assisted the SAPP almost ten years ago to develop an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) – to facilitate the screening and assessment of priority power projects in line with lenders’ safeguard requirements,” said Kilian. “This has helped to speed up their implementation across the sub-continent.”

The Mozambique-Malawi Interconnector has also reached financial close and is starting construction, while both the Zambia-Tanzania Interconnector and the Angola–Namibia Interconnector have completed feasibility studies and environmental assessments. Eleven other regional energy projects have also seen progress, with 18 preparatory studies completed on these schemes.

Progress in Angola

In-country projects currently being planned in Angola include the Gove-Chipindo-Cuvango-Jamba Transmission Line Project, for which SRK Consulting (South Africa) completed the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA). Powered by the Gove hydroelectric power plant, the project involves the development of a new 220 kV high§1-voltage overhead transmission line of approximately 170 km in length, traversing the municipalities of Jamba, Cuvango and Chipindo. The project aims to strengthen the electrical transmission network and improve energy reliability across the Huila and Huambo Provinces.

Kavandren Moodley, principal environmental scientist at SRK Consulting (South Africa), led the ESIA and noted that such studies are critical for ensuring compliance with national and international standards, especially for lender-funded infrastructure projects.

“We conducted the ESIA in the context of the relevant Angolan laws and regulations, as well as international standards to which lenders required the project to be benchmarked,” said Moodley. “These included the International Financial Corporation’s Performance Standards, the Equator Principles, the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, and the International Labour Organisation’s work-related standards.”

Early identification of risk

He noted that infrastructure projects of this scale typically involve substantial investment, making it essential to identify any potential environmental or social ‘fatal flaws’ as early as possible.

“Early detection of these risks gives developers sufficient time to review and adjust project plans, before significant resources are committed to detailed engineering,” Moodley explained.

He added that an ESIA can highlight risks such as community displacement or biodiversity sensitivity, providing valuable input for strategic decisions on project layout and transmission line routing.

“Involving environmental and social practitioners at concept or pre-feasibility stage helps to avoid situations where the legally required ESIAs only reveal issues late in the process,” he said. “Where redesigns are required at an advanced stage, this often delays projects and incurs considerable unplanned expenditure.”

Moodley emphasised that lenders are increasingly attentive to risks relating to indigenous peoples, community vulnerability and biodiversity management.

“Where a powerline may present material risks, funders want assurance that these are systematically identified and mitigated,” he said. “That is why these impact assessments are so important, and must actively inform both the design and construction phases.”

Kilian argued that the harnessing of renewable energy resources is a significant driver of sustainable, diversified and inclusive growth in Africa – as energy constraints have for many years been a serious brake on the continent’s potential.

“The potential for sharing energy through the SAPP has been boosted in recent years by the mushrooming of renewable energy generation technologies,” he said. “While a more stable power supply in any country will unlock foreign and local investment to build the economy and create jobs, the availability of cross-border powerlines creates the potential to export electricity for those countries who can generate more than they currently need.”

He added that these powerline developments will also improve southern Africa’s resilience in the face of climate change, which is likely to significantly impact the region in coming years. Changing rainfall patterns are expected to increase the likelihood of drought in certain areas, which would reduce dam levels and undermine the reliability of hydro-power schemes.