Lesotho Launches M78m Hydropower Project — FSX Business
Lesotho has launched a M78 million hydropower project in Semonkong aimed at providing more reliable electricity to the mountain town and supporting local businesses, health centres and tourism.
Prime Minister Samuel Matekane launched the project alongside cabinet ministers and stakeholders in the electricity sector. The project is being implemented with support from the World Bank.
The project will rehabilitate Semonkong’s existing 220-kilowatt hydropower station, install a battery storage system with a capacity of 1,500 megawatt-hours and provide a diesel generator as a backup, according to the government.
It is expected to supply electricity to about 100 households around Semonkong town.
Residents currently rely on solar power for about 14 hours a day, from 6am to 10pm. The town has also experienced prolonged power outages, with local lawmakers saying the community once went two consecutive months without electricity.
The existing mini-hydropower station was built in 1990 but has struggled to meet demand and has relied partly on generators, according to Matekane.
Peiso Kelane, member of parliament for Maletsunyane, said unreliable electricity had contributed to business closures and deterred potential investors from establishing operations in Semonkong.
The World Bank said the project could also support education, tourism, healthcare and businesses in the area.
Mafupu Mokoena, acting World Bank representative in Lesotho, urged residents to protect the equipment and infrastructure to ensure the project’s long-term sustainability.
The Semonkong project forms part of the government’s wider plan to achieve universal electricity access by 2030. Matekane said the government was also conducting feasibility studies for an 80-megawatt hydropower project and another hydropower development in Mohale’s Hoek.
The government expects the projects to increase domestic electricity generation and reduce the country’s reliance on inadequate local supply.
At the launch, the government also distributed 400 blankets to Community Policing Forums and grain to vulnerable members of the community. Breastfeeding mothers received birth certificates for their infants and financial assistance for their children’s needs.
Source: FSX Business News
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