When NamPower began construction of the Sekelduin Substation in July 2021, the project was envisioned primarily as a response to the growing energy demands of the Erongo Region, driven by industrial expansion and population growth. But as the N$394 million facility was officially inaugurated last week, it has emerged as something far more significant: proof that Africa can design and deliver world-class digital grid infrastructure, built by Africans for Africa.
The substation, which has been recognised as a digital milestone and the first of its kind on the African continent, represents a pivotal moment in Namibia’s energy journey. It is a scalable blueprint for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning-ready, cyber-secure substations that future-proof Namibia’s growth and set a new operational benchmark for the country, according to NamPower Managing Director Kahenge Haulofu.
“We are deeply proud of this achievement, and more so because the entire project was designed and built by Africans too,” Haulofu told an audience of government officials, regional leaders, and industry stakeholders at the inauguration ceremony in Swakopmund. “Sekelduin Substation is proof that Africa can design and deliver world-class digital grid infrastructure.”
The digital substation will now become the main transmission supply point to the existing NamPower Swakopmund and Tamarisk substations, the NamWater South bulk water supply scheme feeding the new Husab Uranium Mine, and the ErongoRED 33kV medium voltage reticulation network. But its significance extends far beyond its immediate technical function.
A Blueprint for African Energy Independence
The achievement represents a departure from the traditional model where major energy infrastructure projects in Africa have relied heavily on foreign contractors and imported expertise. The Sekelduin project demonstrates that African engineers and project managers possess the capability to deliver cutting-edge digital infrastructure that meets global standards.
Deputy Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Hon. Gaudentia Krohne, who delivered the keynote address, emphasised that the project directly supports Namibia’s broader development ambitions outlined in Vision 2030 and the Sixth National Development Plan. “Investments in energy infrastructure are not just technical projects,” she said. “They are fundamental to unlocking Namibia’s economic potential.”
The Erongo Region, where the substation is located, is one of Namibia’s key economic hubs, hosting significant mining operations, industrial activities, and the tourism sector. The improved reliability of electricity supply to Swakopmund and surrounding areas will provide additional capacity to meet growing demand from households, businesses, mining operations, and the tourism sector while reducing the risk of power interruptions and enhancing the quality of service to consumers.
Strategic Investment in National Grid Resilience
The Sekelduin substation is part of a broader transmission master plan that NamPower has put in place, making provision for large transmission backbone developments across the country. This plan ensures the construction of new transmission lines, new substations and the upgrading of existing transmission infrastructure, with timing coordinated with utility and IPP-build projects to ensure reliability, power quality and future load hosting.
Major transmission projects in the pipeline include the N1.2 billion 400 kV Obib-Oranjemond Transmission Line Project, planned for commissioning in 2026, will provide the second interconnector to ESKOM, anticipated to provide necessary stability for the NamPower grid.
Closer to home, the N330 million, has been completed, marking a significant milestone in strengthening power supply to the north-eastern regions of Namibia.
Local Expertise Building a National Grid
Haulofu proudly noted that Namibia’s national grid comprises a robust network of high- and medium-voltage overhead lines ranging from 66 kV to 400 kV, spanning 12,060 kilometres across the country. “This national grid is testimony to Namibian expertise, as it has been designed, built, and maintained primarily by local professionals,” he said.
The Sekelduin project, built at a cost of N$394 million, underscores the significant capital required to plan, build and sustain electricity infrastructure across the generation, transmission and distribution value chain. Haulofu emphasised that a predictable regulatory environment and cost-reflective tariffs remain essential to enabling prudent, long-term investment in infrastructure of this nature.
Foundation for Future Investment
Deputy Minister Krohne highlighted the project’s role in laying the groundwork for future investments in Namibia’s energy and industrial sectors. “We are seeing increasing investment in oil and gas, renewable energy, green hydrogen, mining, and industrial development,” she said. “All these opportunities depend on a strong and reliable electricity network. This project therefore lays the groundwork for future investments and ensures that Namibia is ready to seize emerging opportunities in the energy and industrial sectors, in line with our goal of building a diversified and resilient economy.”
The Deputy Minister acknowledged that beyond infrastructure, the investment will improve livelihoods, enable small businesses to grow, strengthen service delivery in schools and hospitals, and create opportunities for communities to participate in economic development.
A Shared Commitment to Progress
Haulofu expressed gratitude to the NamPower shareholder, the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy, represented by Deputy Minister Krohne, the NamPower Board of Directors for their strategic guidance, the contractors who worked tirelessly alongside NamPower, and the Transmission team of NamPower for their hard work and dedication.
“NamPower will continue to fulfil its core mandate of ensuring security of supply and so also its social responsibility,” Haulofu said. “This is because, in accordance with Vision 2030, our hope is that Namibia sees greater socio-economic progression in all spheres. We pledge to continue investing in Namibia and her people in a sustainable manner, for the development of Namibia at large.”
As Namibia celebrates the inauguration of Africa’s first digital substation, the achievement stands not only as a testament to what the country can build but as a symbol of what Africans can achieve when they invest in their own expertise and capabilities. The Sekelduin Substation is more than an infrastructure asset; it is a symbol of progress, resilience, and a shared commitment to building a stronger, energy-secure Namibia.