While South Sudan is looking to gain its independence in upcoming elections scheduled for January 9, the semi-autonomous region is attempting to gain more leverage with its hydropower potential.
Oil producing South Sudan has identified 11 sites where officials plan to build hydroelectric plants to exploit the Nile River’s major tributary, the White Nile. If South Sudan gains independence, it will need to build itself from ground zero after decades of civil war. Isaac Liabwel, a senior official at the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, said exploiting the Nile was central to the development of the south.
Liabwel said five sites have been picked along the Nile, an additional three on its tributaries, and three more on other sites in the region. The official said once the priority sites are operational, South Sudan could export power to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo while providing itself with 2,000 MW daily.
Feasibility studies are currently being conducted, but the Southern Sudan Electricity Corporation general manager Ajuoi Chol said the cost for the four priority sites south of Juba would not be less than $1 billion.
However, South Sudan’s plans could be interrupted as controversy continues to surround the Nile Basin Initiative. The Nile Basin Initiative, highly criticized by Sudan and Egypt, continues to gain momentum forcing Egypt to finally make an attempt to come to a compromise. A 1959 colonial era treaty had given Egypt 87% control over the Nile with the remaining 13% given to Sudan. Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda signed the new deal on May 14 creating a permanent commission to manage the Nile’s waters, with Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya expected to sign the agreement within a year. However, Egypt is threatening to block dams and other projects upstream on the Nile which would force further negotiations.
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