Walvis bay: The Namibia Power Corporation (NamPower) has reached a major step in its clean energy agenda, with the arrival of the first shipment of battery containers for the 51 MW/51 MWh Omburu Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Project at the Port of Walvis Bay. Located near Omaruru, the Omburu BESS is Namibia's first utility-scale battery energy storage initiative, representing a significant advancement in strengthening the national grid, integrating renewable energy, and supporting the country's transition to clean power.
According to Namibia Press Agency, NamPower Engineer Elifas Iilende from the Generation Projects Division highlighted the importance of this milestone for Namibia's energy future. "This shipment consists of eight Power Conversion System (PCS) containers, which will play a crucial role in converting electricity between AC and DC, enabling the storage and release of energy as needed," he explained. The system will ultimately include nine PCS containers, each connected to four battery containers, a total of 36 units.
Additional shipments are anticipated soon, with four more battery containers expected later this week and the remaining shipments due before the end of 2025. Installation at the Omburu Substation has already begun, with completion and commissioning planned for the second quarter of 2026. The project is supported through a grant signed in December 2021 under the German-Namibian Development Cooperation, with KfW Development Bank providing 20 million Euro (about N.dollars 400 million).
NamPower contributed N.dollars 100 million, and an EPC contract was signed in 2023 with Shandong Electrical Engineering (SDEE) and Zhejiang Narada Power. Erongo Governor Natalia |Goagoses noted that the project aligns with the government's broader sustainable development vision, stating, "The commissioning of the Omburu Solar Power Station and clean energy initiatives, including the country's first green hydrogen village, demonstrate our collective move towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy future."
Benny Jin, representing the EPC contractor SDEE, expressed confidence in the project's progress. "We have nearly completed the design and manufacturing stage and are now moving forward to the construction phase and are confident this project will bring lasting benefits to the people of Namibia," he said.