The Power Balance Statement Program

A power balance statement is a crucial tool for predicting potential supply issues in the energy sector. It provides valuable insight into the available generation capacity, taking into account peak demand during a normal year. This allows EAPP stakeholders to anticipate future energy needs and avoid potential supply shortfalls.

The power balance statement has far-reaching implications for energy planning and security, both in the long term and in the immediate future. It enables stakeholders to make informed decisions, anticipate future energy needs, and respond promptly to supply issues. As such, it plays a critical role in ensuring a stable and sustainable energy supply for the region.

The Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) planning code defines the power balance statement, which is calculated annually for a ten-year period. The EAPP Planning Committee releases the statement at the end of each September. This committee is made up of  Planning representatives from the 13 member states of the EAPP. 

The power balance statement is an essential part of the EAPP’s efforts to improve energy planning and security in the region. It provides a detailed analysis of the supply-demand balance for each member state, taking into account factors such as population growth, economic development, and changes in the energy mix. One of the primary benefits of the power balance statement is that it helps stakeholders anticipate future energy needs. By analyzing trends in energy consumption and population growth, stakeholders can estimate how much energy will be needed in the future. This information can then be used to plan for the construction of new power generation facilities or the expansion of existing ones.

The power balance statement also helps stakeholders identify potential supply issues before they occur. By analyzing the available generation capacity and comparing it to peak demand, stakeholders can identify potential shortages and take steps to prevent them. This might involve increasing the capacity of existing power plants, building new plants, or importing energy from neighboring countries.

In addition to providing valuable insights into future energy needs and supply issues, the power balance statement also plays a critical role in ensuring the security of the energy supply. By identifying potential shortages and taking steps to prevent them, stakeholders can ensure that the region has a stable and sustainable energy supply. This is especially important in a region like Eastern Africa, where energy shortages can have severe economic and social consequences.

To calculate the power balance statement, the EAPP Planning Committee collects data on power generation and consumption from each member state. This data is then used to calculate the available generation capacity for each state, taking into account factors such as maintenance schedules and the availability of fuel. The peak demand for each state is also calculated based on historical data and projections for future growth. Once the available generation capacity and peak demand have been calculated for each state, the EAPP Planning Committee compares the two to identify any potential supply issues. If a state is projected to have a shortfall in energy supply, the committee will work with the relevant stakeholders to identify solutions to the problem.