US Embassy in Ethiopia disclosed that Africa must privatize its electric power house for sufficient and accessible electricity service.
Under Secretary of Energy for United States Department of Energy, Mark W. Menezes stressed that energy policy of the continent should be improved in order to fulfill the demand of electricity consumption and to accelerate in grid power generation.
Noting that Africa has a bright future and untapped potential in the exploitation of both non-renewable and renewable energies he stressed exploring its potential resources is critical for energy development of the continent.
He also emphasized independent electricity ownership and technology breakthrough are the necessary tools to access electricity consumption for the general population of the continent.
According to him half of African population is not yet obtained electricity sources. Therefore, planting huge investment and entering into the role of privatization of the in grid power generation are an indispensable to widen the coverage of energy power services.
He stated that in the involvement of trade improvement through enhancing free trade and free market between African nations is a spring board to interconnect them and to give resolution for power energy shortage of the continent.
He pointed out that of course, there must be regulatory framework when recognizing private ownership in power energy services.
On the other hand, energy crisis threat could be an agenda of energy security and national security. In reference to Ethiopian context, “the country is rich in hydroelectric power, wind, solar and geothermal energy, that the government need to show “its big smile” to open market of power generation,” he underscored.
The Ethiopian Herald June 16/2019
BY MEHARI BEYENE
