IOL | Business | Features: Southern Africa has abundant energy sources such as coal, hydro, solar and wind, many of which have yet to be developed. The biggest projects in the pipeline are:
BOTSWANA: Toronto-listed CIC Energy plans a 1 200MW coal-fired plant in Botswana. But the
Mmamabula Energy Project was suspended in 2009 pending a power purchase agreement with South
Africa. CIC also plans to develop a 300MW coal-fired plant at the Mmamabula coal field to supply
Botswana. Once financing is arranged, the estimated construction period is two years. Botswana will
issue a tender in 2012 for two, 300MW coal-fired plants to be built by independent producers. One of
the projects, due in 2015/16, will be an expansion at the existing Morupule complex where power utility
Botswana Power Corporation operates a coal-fired plant. The other plant, due by 2018/19, can be built
anywhere in the country.
