Utilities of Botswana

Power

The state-owned Botswana Power Corporation generates, transmits and distributes all electricity in Botswana. The coal-fired Morupule Power Station at Palapye has a total installed capacity of 132MW. When national demand exceeds supply – on occasion it reaches 400MW – Botswana imports electricity from the region, mainly from South Africa. The electricity grid serves urban and surrounding areas. The country currently has no known oil or gas reserves, instead being supplied by multinational oil companies such as BP, Caltex (Chevron) and Shell. The industry regulator is the Energy Affairs Division of the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Resources in the capital, based in Gaborone.

Water

After 1990, water supply was rapidly expanded throughout Botswana. Just four per cent of the population don’t have access to an improved drinking water source while 62 per cent have access to adequate sanitation facilities (2010). The Water Utilities Corporation is responsible for supply to urban areas; the Department of Water Affairs, to 17 large villages; and the district councils, to other rural areas. The principal sources of water for the urban areas are the Bokaa, Gaborone, Letsibogo, Nywane and Shashe dams. Groundwater is the major source for rural areas. Mining companies in Botswana have chiefly formed public–private partnerships in the sector, establishing desalination plants and other technological advancements. The mining giant Debswana supplies both water and electricity to the inhabitants of surrounding arid mining areas. In Jwaneng, Debswana has financed a community project to develop and manage boreholes, pumps and water storage. Surplus water is resold to Debswana at a 150 per cent rate of profit to the public sector.

Telecoms

There are 73 main telephone lines, 758 mobile phone subscribers and 53 internet users for every 1,000 people in Botswana (2007). The government-owned Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) provides main telephone lines. GSM 900 is the mobile network, with local providers including Mascom Wireless and Orange. Internet service providers include IBIS and Mega. The Botswana Telecommunications Authority is the industry regulator. In 2006, plans were made to privatise the BTC, with 40 per cent of shares going to individual citizens and companies and the remaining 51 per cent retained by the government. BTC has previously used a PPP model to extend telecommunication access in rural areas; 200 Nteletsa II telecentres were established across the country to be managed by the local village community. The centres provide three desktop computers, a fax machine, printer, photocopying machine, community payphone and internet connection via the mobile phone network through a 3G router. There are 63 personal computers per 1,000 people (2008).