Cape Town - African Utility Week has announced that Power Africa, President Barack Obama’s initiative to improve access to power in sub-Saharan Africa, will be the official country partner of the upcoming conference and expo from May 12 to 14 May at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) in Cape Town.
The conference and expo bring together utility professionals from across the globe to learn, share knowledge and debate the key topics that will secure the future development of Africa’s power and water industries.
Power Africa works with African governments, the private sector, and other partners to add more than 30 000 megawatts (MW) of cleaner, more efficient electricity generation capacity as well as increase electricity access by adding 60 million new home and business connections throughout all of sub-Saharan Africa.
The 15th African Utility Week and Clean Power Africa is expected to again attract more than 5 000 attendees and feature 250 exhibitors, 190 speakers, eight conferences, free technical workshops on the expo floor, three high-profile plenary sessions and a gala dinner.
“President Obama launched Power Africa in Cape Town in late June 2013 and it is, therefore, fitting that we will gather and engage Africa in Cape Town in May, to talk about solutions and partnering with African utilities to connect Africa to the global grid,” said Andrew Herscowitz, coordinator for Power Africa.
“We are excited to participate and engage with thousands of power professionals from around the continent gathering at African Utility Week to discuss their shared challenges and how they can work together to improve the way Africans live and work.”
According to event director Evan Schiff African Utility Week is the right place for Power Africa to engage with stakeholders as there are strong synergies between its respective strategies on the continent.
"This is the only ‘in territory’ event, that Power Africa will be participating in, with US exhibitors supported by the US Commercial Services and Power Africa partners like USAid,Opic, Exim Bank, the US department of state, the US department of energy and Power Africa Private Partners," he said.
“African utilities have been gathering at African Utility Week for 15 years, engaging with their peers to find African solutions to African challenges in the power sector. International partners have participated in this conversation and added best of breed technology and financial solutions. Long term strategic partnerships between initiatives and organisations like Power Africa and African Utility Week, therefore, are in Africa’s interest.”