By Sirrah Touray
Gambians already experiencing sudden power outages received a stark message from the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) to prepare for a “long term load shedding” as the nation grapples with a significant electricity deficit.
At a press conference yesterday Managing Director Gallo Saidy attributed the crisis to a confluence of global geopolitical tensions and escalating local demand, urging the public to understand and support the utility through what he termed a “difficult period.”
“If we don’t come out to explain this situation we can be misaligned because if you go on to social media today, a lot of people are talking about things that they probably don’t even understand,” he said.
At the core of Nawec’s current predicament, according to Saidy, is the ongoing war in Iran. “It is affecting everybody including Nawec which heavily relies on imported heavy fuel oil for thermal power generation,” MD Saidy lamented.
Pateh Sowe, Chief Operations Officer, apologised to customers for the inconvenience of a sudden disruption to their now used to 24-7 electricity supply.
Sanna Gomez, Operations Manager said the nation’s peak electricity demand now stands at a staggering 106 megawatts (MW), while Nawec’s available capacity hovers around 78 MW. “This leaves a critical deficit of approximately 26 MW that must be shed from the system to prevent a total blackout. Of the available power, 52% is imported, with only 22% coming from Nawec’s own local generation,” he said.
“So we cannot say we cannot import. The Gambia doesn’t have a lot of resources. The only resources we have is the human beings, our people,” MD Gallo Saidy quipped back underscoring the country’s reliance on external power sources like the OMVG line, which has also faced technical issues, further widening the generation gap.
Nawec clarified that certain essential areas, such as boreholes providing water and critical hospital facilities, are prioritised for continuous electricity. “If water is affected, we have double problem” MD Saidy noted, assuring that such decisions are based on necessity, not favouritism.
Looking ahead, Nawec outlined plans to bolster local generation as engineers from Germany are expected next week to accelerate repairs on key engines in Kotu and Brikama, with hopes of restoring significant generating capacity. “If we can bring back, at least two engines, we will be able to close this gap significantly, and the load shedding would come down,” Nawec offcials assured.
The company also announced board approval for a $200 million investment to bring back G6 and G8 units in Kotu, aiming to add 30 MW by the end of the year and into next year.
In the longer term, Nawec is pinning its hopes on renewable energy, with a 50 MW solar plant in Soma and an additional 100 MW planned. “That is the way forward. We have the sun, it’s given to us naturally,” Mr Saidy affirmed, acknowledging however that battery storage solutions are still needed to address night-time demand.
