- The National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), in conjunction with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), hosted the 65th SAPP Meetings from 1 until 5 September 2025 at the Pivot Hotel and Conference Centre, under the theme: “Let’s not gamble with energy in the SAPP and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region.”
The 5-day engagement included subcommittee meetings from 1 to 4 September, and finally, the Management Committee (MANCO) on 5 September, which consolidated the deliberations from the subcommittee meetings, making decisions and charting the way forward on the course of action for the SAPP.
Key among the discussions was ensuring a balanced, diversified, and well-planned approach to energy policy that prioritises long-term stability and resilience over short-term gains to enhance the region’s integration and development agenda.
“As the NTCSA, we were honoured to co-host such an important gathering on the African continent, which marks an important milestone in strengthening partnerships that will shape the Southern African power sector for decades to come,” said NTCSA General Manager for Energy Market Services and International Trader and SAPP MANCO Chairperson, Andrew Etzinger.
“Regional cooperation in the power sector is vital in achieving energy security, lowest cost power to our economies, and greening our economies,” added Etzinger.
“Collaboration across borders ensures that we can leverage our collective resources – hydropower, solar, wind, and gas – to deliver sustainable development and affordable energy. The NTCSA is fully committed to supporting the work of SAPP and advancing regional market reforms,” said NTCSA Interim Chief Executive Officer, Monde Bala.
“Without regional inter-connectors, our ability to trade power is severely limited. And that is why initiatives like the Regional Transmission Infrastructure Finance Facility are so important. By unlocking finance for cross-border lines, we can relieve congestion and open up new trading opportunities,” said Samantha Graham-Maré, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy who was a keynote speaker at the event.
About the SAPP
The SAPP was established in August 1995 at the SADC summit held in Kempton Park, South Africa, when member governments of SADC (excluding Mauritius) signed an Inter-Governmental Memorandum of Understanding for the formation of an electricity power pool in the region under the name of the Southern African Power Pool. The ministers responsible for energy in the SADC region signed the Revised Inter-Governmental Memorandum of Understanding on 23 February 2006. It has twelve member countries, with a combined capacity of 83 875MW, represented by their respective electric power utilities organised through SADC.
Source: NTCSA
