HVDC Western Power Corridor
Encyclopedia
The Western Power Corridor (Westcor) is a project to construct and supply energy from two hydroelectric power plants to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
, Angola
, Namibia
, Botswana
and South Africa
. Originally, the hydropower was to be supplied form the Democratic Republic of the Congo
's INGA III
project. Later Inga III was supposed to be replaced by Angola
's Cuanza River
and Cunene River
projects or by the new project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
, South Africa, followed by the shareholders' agreement signed by the national electricity companies. The pre-feasibility study was completed in 2005.
In 2009, Democratic Republic of the Congo decided to develop the INGA III project by using private investments and the project was redesigned to involve Cuanza River and Cunene River projects in Angola. In 2010 the Democratic Republic of Congo indicated it will propose a new project involving also Mozambique
, Zambia
, and Zimbabwe
.
in Angola via two 400-kilovolt (kV) high voltage
alternating current
(HVAC) lines. INGA III will be also connected with Kinshasa
via another 400 kV HVAC line. From Angola, two multi-terminal high-voltage direct current
systems will run to Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. The system will consist of five converter stations: Kuanza in Angola, Auas in Namibia, Goborone in Botswana, and Omega and Pegasus in South Africa. The expected cost of the project is about €
5 billion.
, Botswana Power Corporation
(BPC), the Société nationale d'électricité (SNEL)
of the DRC, Eskom
of South Africa and NamPower
of Namibia. CEO of the company is Pat Naidoo.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
, Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Originally, the hydropower was to be supplied form the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
's INGA III
Inga Dam
The Inga Dams, located in western Democratic Republic of the Congo 140 miles southwest of Kinshasa, are hydroelectric dams on the largest waterfalls in the world, Inga Falls. Here the Congo River drops 96 metres and has an average flow of 42,476 m³/s....
project. Later Inga III was supposed to be replaced by Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
's Cuanza River
Cuanza River
The Cuanza River is a river in Angola. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean just south of the nation's capital, Luanda....
and Cunene River
Cunene River
The Cunene River or Kunene River is a river in Southern Africa. It flows from the Angola highlands south to the border with Namibia. It then flows west along the border until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the few perennial rivers in the region. It is about long, with a drainage...
projects or by the new project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
History
An inter-governmental memorandum on the Westcor was signed on 22 October 2004 in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa, followed by the shareholders' agreement signed by the national electricity companies. The pre-feasibility study was completed in 2005.
In 2009, Democratic Republic of the Congo decided to develop the INGA III project by using private investments and the project was redesigned to involve Cuanza River and Cunene River projects in Angola. In 2010 the Democratic Republic of Congo indicated it will propose a new project involving also Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, and Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
.
Technical description
The total length of Westcor will be over 3000 kilometres (1,864.1 mi) and the capacity will be 3,500 megawatts.INGA III will be connected with the Capanda Power StationCapanda Dam
The Capanda Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Kwanza River in Malanje Province, Angola. The facility generates power by utilizing four turbines and each, totalling the installed capacity to . The dam was constructed by Gamek, a government body, for a total cost of US$4 billion...
in Angola via two 400-kilovolt (kV) high voltage
High voltage
The term high voltage characterizes electrical circuits in which the voltage used is the cause of particular safety concerns and insulation requirements...
alternating current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
(HVAC) lines. INGA III will be also connected with Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
via another 400 kV HVAC line. From Angola, two multi-terminal high-voltage direct current
High-voltage direct current
A high-voltage, direct current electric power transmission system uses direct current for the bulk transmission of electrical power, in contrast with the more common alternating current systems. For long-distance transmission, HVDC systems may be less expensive and suffer lower electrical losses...
systems will run to Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. The system will consist of five converter stations: Kuanza in Angola, Auas in Namibia, Goborone in Botswana, and Omega and Pegasus in South Africa. The expected cost of the project is about €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
5 billion.
Project company
The Westcor company was registered and incorporated in Botswana in 2003. The shareholders are Empresa Nacional de Electricidade de AngolaEmpresa Nacional de Electricidade de Angola
Empresa Nacional de Electricidade de Angola is an electricity company of Angola....
, Botswana Power Corporation
Botswana Power Corporation
Botswana Power Corporation is a state owned company for electrical power generation, transmission and distribution in Botswana. It was established in 1970 and is currently the only electricity supplier in the country. BPC produced an estimated 1,052 GWh in 2007, while demand was estimated to...
(BPC), the Société nationale d'électricité (SNEL)
Société nationale d'électricité (SNEL)
Société nationale d'électricité is the national electricity company of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its head office building is located in the district of La Gombe in the capital city, Kinshasa. SNEL operates the Inga Dam facility on the Congo River, and also operates thermal power...
of the DRC, Eskom
Eskom
Eskom is a South African electricity public utility, established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission by the government of South Africa in terms of the Electricity Act . It was also known by its Afrikaans name Elektrisiteitsvoorsieningskommissie . The two acronyms were combined in 1986 and...
of South Africa and NamPower
NamPower
NamPower is the national power utility company of Namibia. NamPower was founded in 1964 as the "South West Africa Water and Electricity Corporation" by the government of South Africa. Its offices are located in Windhoek...
of Namibia. CEO of the company is Pat Naidoo.