T.J. Hammons
African power systems, electricity prices, power system development, power pools, hydro power, power corridor, electricity investment, power system interconnection, power system economics, HVDC and UHVDC transmission, GCC interconnection authority, HVDC back-to-back connectors, GIS substations, power project financing and implication
This paper focuses on the present status and future prospect of electricity infrastructure in Africa and Middle East from the viewpoint of renewable energy projects, infrastructure developments and transmission development. It discusses a continental grid that would interconnect national power systems with regional power pools. Involved is extra high voltage DC for bulk power transfer between the participating regional power systems. Significant sources of hydroelectric generation in Southern Africa are situated far from the load centres, particularly the single site large hydroelectric resource of 44 GW at Inga on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo and to the more than 100 GW distributed sources across Central, West, and East Africa. The nearest major load centres from the resources are about 3,000–6,000 km away. The results of preliminary investigations into developing the transmission master plan for the Eastern Power Corridor project and the Western Corridor in Southern Africa are discussed. Also considered is implementation of the interconnection of the Gulf States (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Oman). Discussed are progress in the implementation and the issues that have had to be faced to date. Activities are being carried out to define organizational structure of the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) and the interconnection agreements that will provide the framework for the operations.
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