Country may sell troubled China-built power plant

March 1, 2016 3:38 PM

Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources Kitso Mokaila said there had been enquiries from two or three interested buyers, but no deal had been reached.

Botswana may sell troubled China-built power plant

Botswana could sell its troubled 600 megawatt (MW) Chinese-built power station, the energy minister said on Tuesday, after it suffered constant technical hitches since its launch in 2012.

Botswana's Morupule B power station, built by the China National Electric Equipment Corporation (CNEEC) at a cost of $970 million has often broken down, leading to a reliance on diesel generators and imports from South Africa.

"We could fix the power station ourselves or task the contractor to fix it. We also have an option of asking someone else who is not the contractor to fix it and lastly we could sell it," Mokaila said.

Only one of the four 150 MW units is currently running, leaving Botswana with a deficit, which is partly being met by 195 MW from diesel generators and the remainder by imports from South Africa.

($1 = 11.3636 pulas)