The BPC’s current contract with Eskom expires on December 31, 2015. Should the two utilities seal the deal, the new contract will be the latest in historical supply arrangements between the two. BPC enjoyed supplies of between 410MW and 250MW between 2008 and 2012, whereupon the 2012 to 2015 deal was struck for 100MW.
Last week, BPC CEO, Jacob Raleru told journalists that the new deal was inching closer to finality. He said the extension, if approved, would be for a further three years, ending in December 2018. “Nothing has been finalised yet, but the negotiations thus far are positive,” he said. “The terms of the new contract will be the same as the current one, but we cannot give any further details because this will be a commercial agreement.” Eskom’s media desk, in a response to written enquiries from Mmegi Business, equally confirmed the progress of the negotiations. “An extension is being finalised through the appropriate governance,” the utility company stated yesterday. In its most recent update on the power status, the BPC pegged national demand at 465MW, being met by 260MW from Morupule B, 95MW in emergency diesel plants and 120MW in both firm and non-firm imports. Besides the 100MW contract, Botswana has access to a further 200MW non-firm power from Eskom, which is provided only when the utility is meeting demand in South Africa, BPC previously explained.
