ELECTRIFICATION AFTER THE MILLENNIUM - HOW TO?

Issued by: Government Communications

The Minister of Minerals and Energy, Dr Penuell Maduna will inaugurate the members of the National Electrification Co-ordinating Committee (NECC) on Thursday, 8 April 1999. You are hereby cordially invited to attend the inauguration at the Mineralia Centre (cnr Andries and Visagie Streets, Pretoria) on the 8th floor at 07:30.

(Please note that the entrance to the building has changed to Andries Street)

The Electricity Supply Industry committed itself in 1994 to electrify 2,5 million homes by the year 2000 as part of the Reconstruction and Development Programme. All indications are that this target will be exceeded before the end of the millennium. The current electrification programme is coming to an end in approximately 9 months.

Following the release of the White Paper on Energy Policy, in December 1998, the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) is in the process of appraising the electrification programme with the view to implement a National Electrification Strategy.

The purpose of the National Electrification Strategy is to consolidate government policies in order to ensure that:

• the scope of the National Electrification Programme is properly defined;
• the roles of various stakeholders in the National Electrification Programme are clarified;
• there is transparency and equity in the collection and allocation of public resources;
• the National Electrification Programmes is integrated with other national infrastructure development programmes;
• an electrification technology section criteria is established;
• sustainable national electrification goals with an optimal technology mix is established (grid and non-grid); and
• mechanisms are put in place to monitor the progress, evaluate and adjust the strategy from time to time.

  In order for this strategy to be implemented, a co-ordinating structure needs to be put in place to advise the DME on the implementation of electrification policy issues contained in the Energy White Paper. The need for a voluntary NECC was identified with the purpose not only to be valuable assistance to the current electrification programme, but will also have to advise the DME on the electrification planning after the year 2000.

  ENQUIRIES: Ms Prudence Gololo

Deputy Director: Communication

Tel: (012) 3179266 or 082 459 6861

Fax: (012) 3224954

7April 1999