AFRICA ELECTRICITY CONGRESS - LIGHTING THE DARK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 000906 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/S, EEB/ESC AND CBA STATE PLEASE PASS USAID STATE PLEASE PASS USGS DOE FOR SPERL AND PERSON DOC FOR ITA/DIEMOND E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG EPET EMIN EINV SF SUBJECT: AFRICA ELECTRICITY CONGRESS - LIGHTING THE DARK CONTINENT REF: A. PRETORIA 758 ¶B. PRETORIA 726 ¶C. PRETORIA 565 ¶D. PRETORIA 315 ¶E. PRETORIA 214 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: State power supplier Eskom and the South African Energy Minister used the recent Africa Power & Electricity Congress as yet another opportunity to highlight plans to augment demand side management and increase energy efficiency as short term methods to address the South African power crisis. Delegates noted the failure of South Africa and other countries to secure significant private sector participation in the power sector, citing that power tariffs are too low. There was recognition that there are limits to how much and how quickly South Africa and other countries can raise tariffs, given governments' fear of inflation and hurting business and the poor. Delegates also cited the role of regional cooperation. The SAG announced its intent to convene a high-level energy summit to coordinate its response to its power crisis and to grapple with getting the tariff right. END SUMMARY. -------------- Power to the People -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Africa Power & Electricity Congress and Exhibition April 15-17, 2008 in Johannesburg drew government and private leaders from throughout the continent to debate challenges in the sector. This was set against the backdrop of power shortages in South Africa and other countries (Reftels). The power was cut off twice during the proceedings, including while the South African Minister of Minerals and Energy held the stage. Fortunately, the convention center's generators kicked in each time with only a few seconds delay. Building on its recent India-Africa summit in New Delhi, India had a high profile at the congress, including a ten-company India exhibit at the accompanying exhibition, a special breakfast, and sponsors/speakers in a number of sessions. The U.S. presence at the exhibition was primarily as a provider of alternative power solutions, such as Cummins, Detroit Diesel, and Caterpillar. Westinghouse was a speaker at the nuclear session of the congress. Areva and EDF, Westinghouse's competition for nuclear new build in South Africa, had substantial exhibits and also spoke at the nuclear session. The congress organizers played "Power to the People" over and over again during breaks on day one, but recognized that they needed to change the repetitive tune for the balance of the congress. The Minister admitted that she said a special prayer each morning: "let there be no power outages", and only some of her prayers were heard. -------------- Engaging Private IPPs - Tariff Angst -------------- ¶3. (SBU) There was broad consensus that power tariffs in South Africa and other countries are too low to entice private sector participation in the power sector. Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said in her opening speech that current low tariffs and "cheapness" of South Africa's Qcurrent low tariffs and "cheapness" of South Africa's electricity were deterring private sector investment in power generation projects. Sonjica said AES decided to pull out of the Independent Power Producer (IPP) deal for two peaking power plants totaling 1000 MW (Ref B) because the project "was not lucrative enough" in terms of profit for AES. A National Energy Regulator of SA (NERSA) senior official also said the introduction of IPPs failed because the private sector viewed electricity prices as too low. The CEO of one of the few IPPs implemented in South Africa, Darling Wind PRETORIA 00000906 002 OF 003 Power, urged the government to revisit or reverse its decision to maintain state power utility Eskom as the single buyer in the government's plans to seek up to 30 percent participation by IPPs in the South African power sector. Sonjica replied that her department was discussing the matter. Sonjica noted that Namibia was ahead of other African countries in restructuring electricity distribution, another critical need in assuring power supply to consumers. ¶4. (SBU) Congress moderator and private power consultant Jan de Beer observed that South Africa possesses artificially low tariffs at 1-2 U.S. cents per Kwh. When he pressed a forum of regulators from other countries, they would not quantify the "right" amount, but they uniformly said it should be higher. De Beer noted that tariffs had to be commercial but electricity service was recognized as a social good, so governments had to balance commerciality and affordability. Finance sector speakers also observed the SAG's failure to secure IPP's, despite its long-standing objective, perhaps because investors perceived too much payment and fuel risk. -------------- - Eskom's Way Forward - MEGAWATTS NOT MEGA-WORDS -------------- - ¶5. (SBU) State power company Eskom presented its vision of increasing power tariffs and capacity and implementing demand-side management and efficiency as its action plan for resolving power woes in South Africa. Eskom General Manager Andrew Etzinger cited the importance of ramping up its existing demand-side management program, noting that this was one of the identified uses of funds from the proposed 60 percent nominal tariff increase. Eskom Financial Director Bongani Nqwababa said South Africans would face more power cuts without the tariff hike. NERSA Chair Mbulelo Ncetezo said we need "megawatts, not mega-words!" National Energy Efficency Agency acting Operations Manager Barry Bredankamp stressed the need to augment and implement energy efficiency programs in South Africa and other countries in Africa. He noted that progress on the continent had been fragmented and episodic, calling for better sharing of best practices and success stories. Bredenkamp recommended creation of a depository of information on African energy efficiency projects and initiatives. -------------- Regional Approaches -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Eskom Chief Officer for Networks and Customer Service Erica Johnson cited the importance of regional electricity options to meet the target of adding 40,000 MW of capacity to the South African grid by 2025, in addition to diversification to include greater reliance on nuclear power. She highlighted possibilities of importing coal-generated power from Botswana and Mozambique, natural gas-generated power from Namibia and Mozambique, and hydroelectric power from Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo. CIC Energy Corporation COO Tore Horvei told the Congress that his QEnergy Corporation COO Tore Horvei told the Congress that his company was at the final discussions stage of finalizing power purchase agreements with Eskom and the Botswana Power Corporation for the 2,500 MW first phase of the coal-fired Mmamabula power project in Botswana, near the South African border. Another theme of the Congress was the importance and still unrealized potential of cooperative regional electricity pools like the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP). Note: SAPP's members are the major utilities of South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Malawi, Angola, Lesotho, Namibia, DRC, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. End Note. PRETORIA 00000906 003 OF 003 -------------- Power Summit -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Soon after the close of the African Power Congress, the SAG and the ANC decided to convene an energy summit to coordinate responses to the power crisis, organize the myriad task teams and efforts underway, and seek broader consensus on the way forward, possibly including discussion of power tariffs. The Department of Minerals and Energy has spear-headed a National Electricity Response Team, but higher-level leadership and coordination are needed. The SAG-ANC energy summit date has yet to be scheduled. Eskom CEO Jacob Maroga welcomed the summit proposal, saying there was a definite need for a "national conversation" both on the handling of the crisis, as well as the utility's application for a 60 percent nominal tariff increase. The application is under expedited public comment-taking and consideration by the regulator. Eskom says the tariff increase will cover increased coal/fuel costs and demand-side management measures, while significant capital expenditure needs for new supply will be financed by other means. ¶8. (SBU) General Electric representatives told Energy Officer on the congress margins that the SAG had not responded to the company's offer to quickly provide 3,000 MW of new gas-fired turbine capacity, cited in President Thabo Mbeki's State of the Nation speech in January (Ref E). They conjectured that the SAG's and Eskom's short-term response will be focused on demand, rather than supply. -------------- -------------- How High a Tariff is Right - or Politically Palatable? -------------- -------------- ¶9. (SBU) COMMENT: The consensus at the power congress was clear on the need to raise power tariffs to assure adequate returns for potential private investors, reduce demand, and establish the framework for making pricing incentives work. The potential inflationary effect on businesses and consumers - especially the poor - raises a steep challenge. The ANC, labor federation COSATU, and business umbrella group Business Unity SA are criticizing the Mbeki government's support for the power price hike, so Eskom may not obtain its full 60 percent nominal tariff increase. The government has long espoused securing a significant portion of generation from IPP's, but has failed in creating the necessary investment environment to make this happen. It is still not clear how well the government can manage the power crisis, while balancing needs of consumers, the mining sector, and the power utility, as well as assuring infrastructure and power for the 2010 World Cup. BALL