According to the African Union Development Agency, the energy needs of the African continent are expected to more than triple by 2040. To help countries to address this growing demand for energy and meet socioeconomic needs in a clean, sustainable, and affordable way, the IAEA and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) have been supporting, as official modelling partners, the development of the Continental Power System Masterplan (CMP) in Africa since 2021. In the margins of the IAEA’s 67th General Conference, experts from different international organizations, including from the European Union who have been backing the initiative, shared the vision behind the CMP and discussed its key deliverables, which were adopted by the African Ministers of Infrastructure and Energy earlier in September and are due to be presented to the African Union assembly next year for final endorsement by African heads of state.
Power systems in Africa are organized into four subregions or ‘power pools,’ each of which faces different challenges based on available resources, infrastructure and needs. “These power pools are the building blocks of the future African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), because by connecting neighbouring countries from different power pools, the end result will be a fully integrated electricity market,” said Stephen Dihwa, Executive Director of the Southern Africa Power Pool. This process has already started by connecting the electricity grids of Tanzania and Zambia, Dihwa went on to explain, resulting in the integration of the East African and South African power pools from Cape Town to Cairo.
Going forwards, the CMP will act as the ‘blueprint’ for the AfSEM and act as a central pillar in solving Africa’s energy challenges. “We are proud of this unique initiative, which is the result of a bottom up, collaborative approach involving representatives from the Regional Economic Communities, power pools, and energy stakeholders on the continent working together with international partners and organizations towards a common goal,” said Towela Nyirenda-Jere, head of the African Union Economic Integration Division, speaking at the event. “It shows what can be achieved when we all work together to achieve the aspirations of the Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals,” she added.