Having recognized their common concerns and interests, the Nile riparian countries established in 1999 the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) whose vision is “to achieve sustainable socio-economic development through the equitable utilization of, and benefit from, the common Nile Basin water resources.”

To translate this shared vision into action, the NBI launched a Strategic Action Program which includes two complementary components: a basin-wide Shared Vision Program (SVP) and Subsidiary Action Programs (SAPs). The Regional Power Trade Project is one of the thematic projects to be implemented basin-wide to help establish a foundation for trans-boundary regional cooperation and create an enabling environment conducive to investments and action on ground within an agreed basin-wide framework.

We invite you to visit our site to learn about the Regional Power Trade Project, its objectives, components, funding, status and opportunities.

We also invite you to send your comments and share your thoughts with us.

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COMPREHENSIVE BASINWIDE STUDY KICKS OFF
The Comprehensive Basin-wide Study (CBWS) officially commenced on 3rd March 2010. The CBWS consultancy contract was signed by the Executive Director of the Nile Basin Initiative Madam Henriette Ndombe for the NBI, and Messrs Emile Marquis and L.P. Von Baden for Consortium of RSWI and Fichtner. According to the contract, the Study will be executed and finalized within eighteen calendar months from the date of commencement.

CBWS Objectives   
The objective of this study is to undertake an inclusive and participatory comprehensive basin-wide study of power development options (including backbone transmission and inter onnection corridors) in the Nile Basin (Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda) and Djibouti. The study will analyze the status of power supply, interconnectivity, demand and trade opportunities in the region in the context of multipurpose water resource development and shall include proposals on investment and funding arrangements and a detailed implementation plan covering a 35 year time horizon to translate the study into concrete actions at sub-basin and basin levels. It is anticipated that by 2014, the power networks of NBI member countries will be integrated into one grid system – a culmination of the many transmission interconnector projects under implementation. To support operational and planning decisions of the integrated grid system, the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) commissioned a  Regional Power System Master Plan study in October 2009 which focuses on the short to medium-term  horizon. The EAPP Master Plan and the CBWS are complementary and reinforcing, allowing for efficient utilization of available resources. As part of the CBWS, the findings and recommendations of the EAPP Study as it progresses will be reviewed and incorporated into the CBWS. An important element of the comprehensive basin-wide study will be to identify and assess options for development of major regional generation and transmission projects. This recognizes that implementation of major regional projects may provide the best opportunity for stabilizing or even reducing long run marginal cost of electricity, and improving supply reliability and security. 

The outcome of the process is anticipated to be a power development strategy that will put forth different power development options, including an assessment of their economic and engineering feasibility as well as environmental and social impacts, to allow for informed and transparent decision-making in the selection of power investments.  A further outcome is expected to be the definition of a “transmission backbone” which will form the major link between the respective country grids as part of a long-term interconnection strategy.The assessment will be developed to define the best options to meet the expected electricity demand in the region, taking into account economic, financial, technical, environmental, social and political considerations. The study will take full cognizance of the proposed regional power trade and power market. The assessment will be performed in close consultation with key stakeholders in the region.  

An aerial view of the existing Inga hydropower stations on the River Congo. The Grand Inga has an estimated potential of 40,000MW

The CBWS Preparatory Stages
The CBWS was conceive right from the very inception of the Regional Power Trade Project which was designed to be implemented in two Phases, with the Power Trade Study as the dominant activity during Phase I – a study to develop an Institutional, Regulatory and Cooperative Framework Model for Power Trade in the Nile Basin Region and the CBWS being the pivotal activity in Phase II of the RPTP. Because of the expected complexity of the CBWS, it was imperative to carry out a preparatory study, the Preliminary Basin-wide Study (PBWS), undertaken as one of the Phase I Special Studies. Through an exhaustive review of previous studies, data and information in the water and power sectors of NBI member countries, the PBWS identified pertinent data/information  and harmonized these into suitable inputs for CBWS and also prepared ToR for the CBWS.
The procurement of consultants for CBWS was based on the World Bank’s Quality and Cost Based Selection CQBS) procedure. The important milestones during the procurement for CBWS consulting services are as follows:

Invaluable assistance was provided by Nile-Sec, the Tanzanian Ministry of Energy & Minerals, TANESCO, NELSAP and ENTRO throughout the procurement process as members of evaluation and contract negotiation panels.

The NBI ED Madame Henriette Ndombe (further back) during negotiations for the CBWS consultancy Services. Looking on are some of the negotiators from both parties.

Study Organization
The Client is the Nile Basin Initiative with the RPTP’s Project Management Unit (PMU) as the Study’s executing agency responsible for ensuring effective implementation of the Study. A Study Working Group to supervise the CBWS will be established to be comprised of power and non-power experts drawn from the Region including staff of the East African Community Secretariat, the Eastern African Power Pool, and will be assisted by RPTP staff. At a much higher level the Project Steering Committee (PSC) of RPTP will provide strategic guidance and direction to the Study while the RPTP Power Technical Committee (PTC) will provide pertinent technical guidance.