SADC Energy Regulators Meet in Luanda

Francois Robinson, Executive Director of the Regional Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA), stated on Wednesday in Luanda, the capital of Angola, that the region faces an energy deficit of 500,000 megawatts and has a capacity of 2,000 megawatts available for trade.

Speaking at the opening of the RERA regional information-sharing workshop, Robinson noted that Angola would only be able to trade energy starting in 2027, following its connection to the SADC region’s infrastructure grid.

“Energy is the backbone of Africa’s industrialization; many projects are underway in our region, most notably the ANA infrastructure project, which will connect Angola and Namibia, as well as Tanzania and Zambia, starting next year. These are the projects that will enable energy trading across the SADC region,” he said.

The RERA executive stated that significant work has been done to expand energy access in Africa, with the primary goal of facilitating investment among member states in the southern part of the continent.

This initiative aims to ensure sound strategies that foster technological progress through capacity building for institutional technical staff, as well as the training and professional development of regulators from member states in the region.