his Energy Sector Plan (ESP) is part of the SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan (RIDMP) whose aim is to define regional infrastructure requirements and conditions to facilitate the realisation of key infrastructure in the in the energy, water, transport, tourism, meteorology and telecommunications sectors by 2027. Such infrastructure would enable the SADC region to attain regional integration, economic growth and poverty eradication.
The main areas of consideration for the Energy Sector Plan relate to implementation of “hard” infrastructure projects that include electricity generation plants, transmission lines; petroleum and gas refineries, pipelines, storage reserves, coal depots and port facilities, and nuclear demonstration plants. The “soft” interventions entail the required policies/strategies and regulatory frameworks, institutional frameworks and capacity building, financing and cooperation/collaboration arrangements that enable ‘hard’ projects to be realised.
The Plan highlights the status of the sector, projections and gap analysis as well as its infrastructure needs. Investments and intervention needed are explored, including monitoring an evaluation of the implementation and a way forward is discussed within the Plan.
