A Continental Power System Master Plan between the Africa Development Bank and AUDA-NEPAD was mooted during a workshop on Infrastructure Development (PIDA) Week held recently in Cairo, Egypt. The workshop also discussed the broad contours of a Master Plan for implementing the project.
The Master Plan is aimed at ensuring a competitive electricity markets at regional and continental levels for optimally utilizing the Africa’s vast energy resources for the benefit of the entire continent. Implicit in the project is creating a system that can help power surplus countries to sell energy to power deficit nations at a predetermined price. Such cross – country sale of power is there in many countries. Often, the power is auctioned or sold in advance. There are power trade exchanges also in many countries in some of the developed and emerging markets.
The workshop suggested launch of an Integrated Continental Transmission Network (ICTN) to link national power utilities into regional power pools. Such an arrangement can finally lead to a continent -wide transmission network. This is necessary to improve the lives of people across the continent. The Bank also has plans to encourage private sector participation in transmission projects in the continent.
