Lüderitz struggles with growing energy demands

Lüderitz, experiencing a surge in economic activities due to the growing oil and gas sector, is facing a growing problem of frequent power outages.

It sometimes takes a day or two for power to be restored.

Businesses, residents, and local authorities expressed concern over the reliability of the electricity supply, crucial for the town’s continued growth.

Power outages at factories in the town have impacted operations and production, causing machines to malfunction and disrupting network lines.

Pescanova head of human resources Manu Namukomba says “we are all affected by the power outages”.

“When the power goes off it affects production – certain machines cannot run without power”.

Namukomba says because the power went off on Saturday, “it affected network lines, which put a halt on operations and production”.

“These power outages are a major concern,” says Ndemtilla Antonius, the Diaz Coffee Shop owner, a local hospitality establishment.

“We rely on a steady supply of electricity for our operations and these frequent blackouts are impacting our business significantly,” Antonius says.

“The customer services is affected which can result in customers giving you bad reviews”, says Antonius, adding that this also leads to a loss of income.

“When the electricity goes off without any notice given, you might lose business equipment and you will be left to deal with those losses,” says Antonius.

Individual business owners from the SME Park, also shared their grievances with The Namibian.

“We cannot work when the power goes off, because we do not have generators at the stalls,” says one individual.

“We lose money every time, because we have to close our shops”.

The individual says most of these outages happen without prior notice, causing them to lose some of the food they have prepared as they cannot sell anything that is uncooked.

The local council has acknowledged the problem and is working to address it, but solutions are not yet available.

Lüderitz mayor Phil Balhoa says plans are underway to address the ongoing unplanned power outages at the town.

“The ageing infrastructure is indeed a challenge we are currently facing and I assure you that the council is fully committed to resolving these issues,” he says.

According to Balhoa, the council has done an electrical infrastructure assessment that focuses on areas and infrastructure that need urgent maintenance and upgrading.

“Our efforts to prepare Lüderitz for the projected growth is an ongoing process, and often, the availability of funds and cumbersome procurement processes are difficult stumbling blocks to overcome,” says Balhoa.

“In response to these outages, the council has advertised electrical infrastructure maintenance and upgrade work through bids recently and the procurement assessment process for these projects is currently ongoing.”

“We are prioritising these upgrades to enhance our electrical systems and ensure a more stable supply,” he says.

The situation highlights the need for investment in infrastructure to support the growing oil and gas sector.

Without a reliable power supply, Lüderitz’ economic potential may be hindered, potentially impacting the town’s ability to attract further investment and create jobs.