New dams in Africa could add risk to power supplies down the line

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In the 1980s and 1990s parts of Africa saw a surge in dam building for energy production. After a brief hiatus there has been renewed interested. Many new construction projects are planned and underway across sub-Saharan Africa.

An energy initiative, the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa, that has the buy in of all African countries, argues for major hydropower developments within a broader clean power agenda. The initiative argues that this would enable African countries to keep pace with rising demand for electricity. It estimates that total generating capacity, which is presently 125 GW, will need to increase by 6% per year to 2040.

This will create a vulnerability because a lack of rain and droughts could lead to electricity supply being disrupted. This is why it’s important to factor climate variability and change into dam design and management, and to diversify the electricity production to avoid over reliance on hydropower.