Having long depended on electricity imports from South Africa, Botswana is now embarking on a strategic overhaul of its energy relations with Pretoria, seeking to transform a historically dependent relationship into a balanced partnership that promotes regional energy security. In the 2000s, up to 80% of the electricity supplied to Botswana came from Eskom and neighboring countries; today, under the presidency of Duma Boko, Gaborone aims instead to become a net exporter within the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), the regional electricity exchange platform that has connected twelve countries in southern Africa for the past thirty years.

Achieving this goal requires accelerated modernization of the country’s infrastructure. A $5.5 billion agreement was signed with the Ulsan Holding consortium to refurbish the Morupule thermal power plants and develop new solar capacity, with a target of 1.5 gigawatts of additional generation. The National Energy Compact, unveiled in late 2025, calls for 220,000 new connections by 2030 and an increase in the share of renewable energy from 8% to 50% of the energy mix, with support from the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

However, this transition cannot be achieved in isolation. Following the model already in place between Pretoria and Maputo—where electricity from Cahora Bassa feeds the South African grid—Southern Africa is relying on grid interconnections to absorb surpluses and offset shortfalls. For Botswana, which will face a sharp decline in domestic production and the return of power rationing in early 2026, connection to the South African grid remains an essential safety net until its new solar and thermal power capacity reaches full capacity.

Ultimately, the challenge goes beyond simply supplying electricity: it involves building an integrated regional infrastructure capable of accommodating the massive investments announced in solar power, battery storage, and cross-border interconnections. By strengthening its energy ties with South Africa, Botswana is no longer seeking merely to secure its own supply, but to establish itself as an active contributor to the energy security of all of Southern Africa.

TheHatLady