Capital announces power plan
The Windhoek municipality plans to connect another 4 000 houses to the capital's power grid over the next five years - until 2028.This plan was approved at the last city council meeting on 28 September.
The new five-year plan builds on the outcome of a previous yet similar plan for the period 2017 to 2022. Since 2017, the capital has connected 3 515 houses in Windhoek's informal settlements to the power grid, specifically in Otjomuise, Havana, Goreangab, One Nation, Okahandja Park, Ongulumbashe, Babylon and Kilimanjaro. The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development spent a total of about N$45 million on it.
Only demarcated areas within Windhoek's informal settlements will be eligible for the next round.
According to the municipality, the department of housing, property management and human settlements identified the relevant neighbourhoods in terms of the development and upgrading policy of the City of Windhoek (CoW).
The expected cost of supplying the homes with electricity is between N$15 million and N$20 million per annum.
This year, residents of Otjomuise's Erf 1355 can expect to be supplied with power, as well as residents of the Samora Machel's Goreangab road resettlement, Havana's Erf 1130 and Erf 1141, and residents of Farm 508 in the Ongos development area.
Furthermore, Okuryangava residents at Okatunda Y and Erf 3222 will also see progress before the end of 2023, according to the plan.
The municipal department for electricity will handle the connection and disconnection of medium voltage distribution networks in the informal settlements.
Contractors will be appointed to connect the houses to the power grid. Contractors will have to compete for the contracts that will be awarded through the national bidding process. Establishment of medium and low voltage distribution networks will fall within the framework of the contracts, the CoW said. – [email protected]