In Douala, factories should know the day before when the power will be cut (Cameroon)
I published an op-ed in EcoMatin on two measures that could help Douala’s industrial users before new grid connections are completed: managing peak demand and improving factories’ power factor.
Power cuts disrupt production and force businesses to use expensive backup generators. The Édéa–Douala corridor remains a bottleneck. While it awaits reinforcement, priorities discussed at the 22 September meeting between ARSEL, the electricity regulator, and the World Bank could translate into practical contracts.
Knowing a day ahead when to reduce demand
I propose a peak-demand contract between the distributor SOCADEL and large industrial customers. SONATREL, the transmission operator, would announce a time slot the day before, during which a factory would reduce its draw from the grid by using its generator or moving some production to the night shift.
In return, the business would be protected from load shedding outside those time slots and receive a lower off-peak electricity tariff. It could prepare its workforce and machinery, while the grid would face less pressure at peak times. Shifting production would also make better use of some generating capacity that is already paid for but underused when demand is low.
Easing pressure without cutting production
The second proposal concerns power factor. Capacitor banks installed in factories reduce the current that must pass through lines and transformers for the same industrial output.
The upfront cost of this equipment is a barrier. SOCADEL, or the future World Bank programme, could advance the financing. Businesses would repay through their electricity bills, with monthly instalments capped at the penalties they would otherwise pay for a power factor below 0.9.
ARSEL would draw up two standard contracts with common rules. The first participants would be large plants in Bassa and Bonabéri, downstream of the congested corridor, with priority access to smart meters.
These measures cannot replace new lines or the promised connections. They would allow action while construction proceeds: give factories greater certainty and free capacity on the existing grid.