The Index of Electricity Generation (IEG) stood at 212.6 during the third quarter of 2017, Statistics Botswana said in its electricity generation and distribution stats brief, for third quarter 2017.
According to Stats Botswana, the year-on-year comparison of the Index of Electricity Generation reflects an increase of 35.2% from 157.3 recorded during the corresponding quarter of the previous year. It added that when compared to the second quarter of 2017, the Index of Electricity Generation increased by 32.4%, from 160.6 during the second quarter to 212.6 during the period under review.
Generation capacity has improved at Morupule B
The year-on-year comparison of generated electricity shows an increase of 35.2% (232,586 MWH), from 661,245 MWH during the third quarter of 2016 to 893,831 MWH during the current quarter. The physical volume of electricity generation during the third quarter of 2017 stood at 893,831 MWH, giving an increase of 32.4 percent (218,784 MWH) as compared to the generation of 675,047 MWH during the second quarter of 2017.
“This increase is mainly attributable to improved performance of power generators at Morupule B power station due to all the four units being operational during the period under review,” Stats Botswana said.
During the current quarter, the volume of imported electricity decreased by 62.6% (208,743 MWH), from 333,355 MWH during the third quarter of 2016 to 124,612 MWH during 2017 third quarter.
When compared to the previous quarter, imported electricity during the third quarter of 2017 showed a decrease of 44.4% (99,706 MWH), from 224,318 MWH during the second quarter of 2017 to 124,612 MWH during the period under review. “This decrease is attributed to increased generation capacity at Morupule B power station during the quarter under review, therefore less reliance on electricity imports.”
Comparison of electricity distribution during the third quarter of 2017 and the corresponding quarter in 2016 shows an increase of 2.4% (23,842 MWH), from 994,600 MWH to 1,018,442 MWH.
Similarly, the quarter-on-quarter comparison of distributed electricity gives an increase of 13.2% (119,077 MWH), from 899,365 during the second quarter of 2017 to 1,018,442 MWH during the current quarter.
Electricity generation given as a percentage of electricity distributed is of paramount importance in assessing whether local generation is improving overtime to reduce reliance on imported electricity.
Electricity generated locally contributed 87.8% to electricity distributed during the third quarter of 2017, as compared to a contribution of 66.5 percent during the same period in 2016, which is an increase of 21.3 percentage points between the two corresponding quarters.
“Comparison with the second quarter of 2017 shows that the contribution of locally generated electricity increased by 12.7 percentage points from 75.1% during the preceding quarter to 87.8% during 2017 third quarter.”
