Govt to undertake Energy Use Study

• Findings to determine policy formulation
• Study to cost P21.4m and create 90 jobs

Addressing a press conference in Gaborone recently, the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Lefoko Moagi, emphasised establishment of facts as a bedrock of policy in matters of energy.

“But over a long period, if you don’t collect these facts, you tend to extrapolate a lot and use historical data which has been overtaken by events,” Moagi said, adding that without fresh data, plans could go wrong and ultimately plunge the country into an energy deficit. “Therefore, it is necessary that a survey of this nature is done to strengthen the energy sector by improving the energy statistics that we use,” he noted. The study will therefore collect and analyse the findings to provide an update on Botswana’s energy balance. Further, the information will go into the National Capital Accounts for use in planning.

“The survey, which will be carried out on both households and businesses, will determine what source of energy is being used, for how many hours, and costs,” Minister Moagi said. “That information will help us to detail how particular sources of energy can be deployed to the various corners of this country.” It is envisaged that the study will cost an estimated P21.4 million and create 90 jobs for its duration of 12 weeks from the beginning of November this year. According to Moagi, the survey will be carried out every five years to keep the energy data up to-date henceforward.

Meanwhile, the latest figures from Statistics Botswana indicate electricity distribution in the country increased by 9 percent from 1,005,502 Megawatt-hour (MWH) during the first quarter of 2022 to 1,099,937 MWH during the second quarter of the year. Electricity generated locally contributed 85.2 percent to electricity distributed during the second quarter of 2022 compared to 52.2 percent during the same quarter in 2021, an increase of 33.0 percentage points.