NamPower has constructed a new emergency diesel power station at Walvis Bay. ANIXAS, a 22.5MW power station, is situated adjacent to the existing Paratus Power Station and will provide an emergency standby electrical capacity of 22.5 MW to Namibia.

The construction of the power station ANIXAS started in December 2009 and took 19 months to complete. It was commissioned by the President of Namibia, His Excellency Hifikepunye Pohamba on 3 November 2011.

The power station has been dispatching into the Namibian grid as of 21 July 2011, assisting in serving the peak power requirements in the morning and afternoon during week days.

The Government of Namibia committed a grant of N$250 million towards the realisation of the ANIXAS Power Station while NamPower contributed over N$100 million.

“Anixas” is the indigenous Topnaar name of the first harbour of Namibia, now known as Sandwich Harbour.

Some facts about ANIXAS Power Station:

It has three Caterpillar V16 cylinder diesel generator sets, each set with a net electrical capacity of 7.45 MW, 22.5 MW in total;
The three generator sets are housed in a Power House Building with its own Control Room, Offices, and a Standby “Black Start” Generator Set;
There are bulk fuel storage tanks, a fuel road tanker offloading station and fuel treatment system to supply fuel to the engines;
It has fuel storage supplies for a 20-day emergency fuel stock;
Radiators are used for cooling;
Sulphate and Nitrogen Oxides, particulates and noise emissions are within World Health Organisation limits and are dispersed by a 60 metre high cluster stack reducing ambient concentrations of pollutants. Emissions are continuously measured and recorded by a on-stack emission monitoring system;
Water for the Power Station is demineralised and treated by a reverse osmosis plant.

The Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Study of 2007 was approved and the Environmental Clearance Certificate obtained from MET-DEA. The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) including construction and operational procedures as well as constant monitoring of emissions will ensure that World Health Organization limits are adhered to. Building and construction materials were carefully selected and are corrosion protected to withstand the extreme corrosive environment of Walvis Bay.