Walvis Bay
Turkey-based power provider Karadeniz Energy Group has made a proposal to provide NamPower with 120 megawatts of power that could be generated from a floating vessel, called a power ship, on a short-term basis to give the power utility sufficient time to find a long-term energy solution.
Karadeniz, which submitted a tender following NamPower’s request last December for alternative, short-term energy solutions, yesterday made a presentation at Walvis Bay, saying electricity supplied by a power ship could be an efficient, although costly, method that could buy the country adequate time while it seeks a permanent solution to the expected electricity deficit.
Power ships are floating mobile power plants that can deliver utility-sized output and are commissioned on a fast-track basis. The ships are designed and constructed at Karadeniz Energy Group’s facilities in Turkey and are dispatched around the world on a short- to medium-term basis.
The major advantages of the utilisation of power ships are that the power can be delivered rapidly; no major site preparation is required; there is no completion or construction risk; and the ships are delivered ready for energy production.
The power ships are delivered with their own high voltage substations for direct connection to local grids through a subsea cable and then ashore with overhead lines to existing substations.
Due to the electricity deficit concerns, the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) put out a tender last year to contract the temporary provision of up to 120MW of electricity, over a minimum of two separate sites as soon as possible to meet the projected shortfall in installed capacity.
It is envisaged that the temporary generation facility could be required for the next five years. The tenderers are expected to provide, install, commission, operate, maintain, and subsequently decommission and remove short-term generation equipment – with the aim of connecting one or two temporary power stations to the Namibian grid.
Karadeniz submitted a tender for the supply of energy using one of their existing power ships. Their clients include Iraq, Lebanon and Ghana.
Simon Charter, an environmentalist at SLR Environmental Consulting Namibia, the company contracted to carry out the environmental impact assessment for Karpowership, says power floating ships have been supplying close to 15 percent of Iraq’s power, 25 percent of Lebanon’s total energy requirement and close to 22 percent of Ghana’s total electricity generation.
Charter added that the identified locations include an offshore site – either in the proximity of Areva desalination plant at Wlotzkasbaken or at Walvis Bay close to the SADC Gateway Port. “However, these are currently just suggestions as we still have to do an environmental study, hence we are having this series of public meetings to get our stakeholders involved. Several more meeting are scheduled to understand the overview of the proposed project, discuss potential environmental impacts, as well as to get the public’s input into the EIA (environmental impact assessment) process,” he said at a recent public meeting. He added that prior to the commencement of the proposed activities, an application would be submitted to the Ministry of Environmental and Tourism and a social and environmental impact assessment (SEIA) process conducted in terms of the Environmental Management Act of 2007. Although some job opportunities will be created for Namibians, the Turkish firm will conduct the operation and maintenance of the ship.
It was noted that the project may cause physical disturbances to environmentally sensitive beach areas. Potential spillages of hydrocarbons may also cause pollution and biodiversity loss, as well as disturbance of marine species and fisheries. The sea cable that would run on the ocean floor may cause disturbance to – or destroy – benthic marine life, while the discharge of cooling water into the sea at a higher temperature may impact the marine environment.
It may also pose a risk to birdlife due to the increased potential of collisions that might occur. Charter, however, said it is not yet known to what extent the project might influence the environment, as the EIA is still in its early stages.
“The EIA will provide information on the proposed activities and the environment in which it will be situated. A team consisting of air and visual specialists, marine biologists, conservationist and regulatory authorities, such as the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namwater, Nampower, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, as well as various local authorities will be involved in the assessment process,” he said.