…as ‘Muela Hydropower Station faces temporary closure
Leemisa Thuseho
THE LESOTHO Electricity Company (LEC) says it is committed to ensuring the nation continues getting adequate electricity supplies when the ‘Muela Hydropower Station closes for maintenance later this year.
This station, which remains the largest and most vital source of electricity supply in the country, will not be operating for a period of six months due to the routine maintenance to be undertaken by the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA).
The station uses water from the Katse Dam intake tower to generate electricity.
The maintenance work will be undertaken concurrently, with the maintenance and repairs of the LHDA’s delivery tunnels which deliver water to South Africa, from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025.
The ‘Muela Hydropower Station generates 72 Megawatts (mw) of the 200MW needed to power Lesotho. The Ramarothole Solar Power Station in Mafeteng produces an additional 30MW, while the LEC imports the remainder from Mozambique and South Africa.
The LEC Acting Public Relations Manager, Tṧepang Ledia, allayed the fears of electricity shortages during the ‘Muela maintenance period, saying remedial action would be put in place. This would not be the first time they were faced with a similar challenge.
He said in 2019 the station was closed completely, still due to some maintenance activities that were being taken. But that did not hinder them from ensuring there was enough power for the nation.
Mr Ledia said they were going to be engaging their counterparts in South Africa and Mozambique to increase their imports to cover the shortfall.
“Despite the upcoming halting of electricity generation at ‘Muela Hydropower Station, LEC remains seized with an obligation of making sure the nation remains lit,” Mr Ledia told the Lesotho Times yesterday.
“This is not the first time we are faced with this situation. The last time was in 2019 when there were some maintenance work at the ‘Muela station. We had an arrangement with our other suppliers (South Africa and Mozambique) to increase their supply to Lesotho. That will still be the case in this instance.”
