The EU says it will support the masterplan developed by the African Union Development Agency and New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) power generation.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) made this known on Friday in statement directing African Energy Ministers of AUDA-NEPAD to promote a continental transmission masterplan.
The AUDA-NEPAD and AfDB released recommendations of a baseline study that looked into the development of a continental energy grid and market.
According to the AfDB, the study supported by the EU, it is the first step to create an efficient, competitive energy sector that helps to serve Africa’s vast non-connected population.
The recommendations were discussed at a roundtable in Cote d’ Ivoire, among the partners organised by the AfDB.
According to the bank, the baseline study constitutes the first of two phases of the masterplan, while the next phase entails the development of the plan itself.
The EU, however, agreed to support Phase 1 under its EU Technical Assistance Facility (EU TAF) for sustainable energy.
The EU support is under the scope of the AU, EU partnership to harmonise the African Single Electricity Market Regulatory Framework.
The baseline study goals included a review of the existing masterplans developed by each of the five regional power pools in Africa.
The power pools are West African Power Pool, Southern African Power Pool, Eastern Africa Power Pool, Central African Power Pool, and North African Power Pool.
The study was also aimed at identifying power generation capacity and power demand up to 2063 and to develop the terms of reference for Phase 2.
Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, the Chief Executive Officer, AUDA-NEPAD said: “This will be a game changer, since in the long term, a continental transmission network will allow energy trade within Africa as well as off the continent with Europe and Asia through existing links.”
Also, Cheikh Bedda Director Energy, African Union Commission (AUC) said the continent had a vision to develop a single electricity grid that would guarantee secure, reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity supplies.
Bedda said the development of a single electricity grid would also enhance the economic prospects of the continent “especially for our children”.
“This can only be realised with a well-coordinated, widely accepted and highly articulated masterplan.”
Kevin Kariuki Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, AfDB said the continental masterplan would provide a holistic roadmap to connect (member) countries.
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Karuchi said that this would be done “within a single regional power pool and to connect the power pools into a single electricity market, promoting energy access and regional integration.”
It further recommended that the baseline study to include establishing a permanent unit to develop the masterplan to produce a skills transfer within AUDA-NEPAD and the five regional power pools.
The recommendations also included aligning the plan with existing infrastructure projects such as those identified under the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), a joint initiative of the AUC, AUDA-NEPAD and AfDB.
The bank said that the next steps were to develop the terms of reference for Phase 2 and to discuss how the masterplan would be funded.