Kalahari constituency councillor Ignatius Kariseb and the leadership of the Omaheke Regional Council have embarked on an investment drive to raise funds for the construction of a multi-million-dollar 20MW solar plant in the region.
The 20MW solar energy plant is earmarked for the Kalahari constituency, and is aimed at increasing the region’s clean energy generation capacity as well as ensuring security of supply for local consumers.
As part of their efforts, Kariseb and his team will be in Swakopmund today, where they will hold multiple meetings and consultations with the management of the Central North Regional Electricity Distributor (CENORED), investors and various stakeholders currently active in that space.
CENORED is one of the country’s biggest licensed regional electricity distributors to towns and village councils, with the other two regional distributors being the Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (NORED) and ErongoRED.
Since around 2009, CENORED has been the main distributor of electricity at towns, villages and major settlements such as Otjinene, Aminuis, Talismanus and Omitara, amongst many others in the Omaheke region.
Kariseb, who is also the chairperson of the Omaheke Regional Council, said there is a growing need to further broaden the supply of clean and affordable electricity to the region’s most scattered areas, and to the most vulnerable members.
“The planned solar plant will help with the creation of jobs, attract new business and stimulate economic growth in the local community. It will help reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to a cleaner, greener environment. The construction and operation of the solar plant will require skilled and unskilled labourers, the youth and women especially.”
“Solar power plants are becoming increasingly cost-competitive the world over, and it’s important we move in that direction. Investing in a solar plant will really bring relief to the local community and businesses in the area,” he noted.
The Kalahari constituency, which has Buitepos as its only proclaimed settlement to date, borders the region’s capital Gobabis to the west, the Okorukambe constituency to the north, Aminuis to the south and neighbouring Botswana to the east.
Other prominent settlements in the constituency are Tsjaka and Drimiopsis.
-ohembapu@nepc.com.na