Power Africa has supported the development of 10 megawatts (MW) of electricity generation projects in Eswatini. In addition, various firms have received U.S. Embassy support to move transactions forward. The page below gives an overview of the energy sector in Eswatini and explains Power Africa's involvement in the country.

ESWATINI ENERGY SECTOR OVERVIEW

Population: 1.14 million | GDP (1): $4.71 billion

Energy development in Eswatini is guided by the National Energy Policy of 2018. Since then, the country’s energy sector has been undergoing rapid transformation with the liberalization of the electricity sector to encourage private sector investment. The changes include the introduction of new policies, enactment of new laws, establishment of the energy regulator, and initiation of electricity standards. The changes are driven by Eswatini’s desire to improve energy security, access to reliable, adequate, and affordable electricity, and the mitigation of potential detrimental impacts on the environment because of the growing energy demand.

The Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC), a state-owned power utility, owns and operates four hydro power plants that provide 60.4 MW of power and contribute 15 to 17 percent of the total energy consumed in Eswatini. These are Maguga (19.8 MW), Ezulwini (20 MW), Edwaleni (15 MW) and Maguduza (5.6 MW). There are currently five IPPs operating power plants in Eswatini with a total installed capacity of close to 110 MW made up of hydro, biomass and solar PV plant technologies. The rest of the electricity required is imported from South Africa (Eskom) and occasionally Mozambique (EDM). In addition to the hydro plants, EEC owns a 9 MW diesel generator but due to high operating cost, the generator is mothballed and only used during emergency conditions.

To enhance energy security and self-sufficiency, the Government of Eswatini has embarked on the development of additional generation capacity to meet the country’s energy demand. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy (MNRE) has established an Independent Power Producers (IPP) Policy that aims to increase the utilization of local renewable energy resources including biomass and solar. Eswatini has also developed an Energy Master Plan that presents further possible scenarios for new power generation capacity up to 2034. The Energy Master Plan was supplemented with a five-year Short-Term Generation Expansion Plan (SGEP) prioritizing 40 MW solar and 40 MW biomass power generation plants. The Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA) has commenced the procurement of the first 40 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity which is now at bid submission stage. It is envisaged that the procurement of the 40 MW biomass project will begin in the fourth quarter of 2020. Further to the committed projects, EEC is currently developing a 10 MW solar PV project at Lavumisa, which is now near completion.

POWER AFRICA SUCCESS STORIES IN ESWATINI

Saving Energy Helps Eswatini's Water Utility Cut Costs and Emissions

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Providing Relief for Eswatini Electricity Consumers and Transparency for Energy Investors

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