NamPower’s long-awaited three power generation units for the new Anixas II Power Station with a combined generation capacity of 54MW of electricity arrived at Walvis Bay on Friday.

A media statement issued by the office of the managing director of NamPower on Sunday, stated that the electricity will use either liquid fuel or natural gas.

The purpose of this power station is to support the security of supply in the Namibian grid as it provides firm, dispatchable power when needed during times of energy supply shortages to support larger integration of intermittent renewable energies such as solar and wind, the statement read.

The expected completion of the project based in Walvis Bay is the end of May 2024.

Anixas I and Anixas II combined will give a total capacity of approximately 75MW, which will make the Anixas plant sufficient to meet the demand of the Erongo region in its entirety.

According to NamPower, the power plant runs on Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), which replaces HFO, however, it has the capability to also run on natural gas when it becomes available in Namibia, which is the preferred way to go, as a transition fuel of the future.

Each of the three engines weigh 350 tonnes and each of the three generators/alternators are close to 70 tonnes.

As per determination from the Ministry of Mines and Energy in 2018, this project forms part of a group of 220MW projects, of which all the other projects are renewable energy projects (solar, wind and biomass) comprising 170MW of the 220MW portfolio.

-Nampa