Van Eck power station
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Van Eck power station is an operating power station of at least 120-megawatts (MW) in Windhoek, Khomas, Namibia.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Van Eck power station | Windhoek, Khomas, Namibia | -22.511626, 17.078692 (exact) |
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4: -22.511626, 17.078692
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year | Emergency/Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Operating | coal: bituminous[1] | 30 | subcritical | 1972 | 2025 (planned)[2] | False |
| Unit 2 | Operating | coal: bituminous[1] | 30 | subcritical | 1972 | 2025 (planned)[2] | False |
| Unit 3 | Operating | coal: bituminous[1] | 30 | subcritical | 1973 | 2025 (planned)[2] | False |
| Unit 4 | Operating | coal: bituminous[1] | 30 | subcritical | 1979 | 2025 (planned)[2] | False |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Namibia Power Corp Ltd [100%] | Namibia Power Corp Ltd [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Namibia Power Corp Ltd [100%] | Namibia Power Corp Ltd [100.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Namibia Power Corp Ltd [100%] | Namibia Power Corp Ltd [100.0%] |
| Unit 4 | Namibia Power Corp Ltd [100%] | Namibia Power Corp Ltd [100.0%] |
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): imported
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
The Van Eck power station is the only coal-fired power station in Namibia. It is a sub-critical plant and initially had no emission controls.[3] In 2014, it consumed approximately 570kg of coal per MWh of electricity generated.[4] As of 2021, it consumes approximately 650kg of coal per MWh of electricity generated.[5]
In 2017, NamPower rehabilitated the plant, reducing air emissions and extending the plant’s life by an estimated ten years. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency provided a US$400,000 grant for a feasibility study to determine the technical, economic, financial, and environmental benefits of the rehabilitation.[6][7]
Namibia imports coal to run the Van Eck Power Station.[8]
Certain sources have referenced the power station's capacity as only 90 MW.[9] In October 2021, NamPower stated: "The Van Eck Power Station has an installed capacity of 120 MW; however due the power station’s aging infrastructure the 4 x 30 MW units are restricted to 25 MW per unit of which only a maximum of two are operated at any given time and the other two on standby."[10]
Namibia's 2022 National Integrated Resource Plan indicated that the Van Eck power station was expected to retire by 2025.[11]
In their 2022 Integrated Annual Report, NamPower stated that Van Eck power station "...operates as an emergency standby power station and is thus only required to generate power when the tariff is less than the cost of energy available in the market, during planned outages of backbone lines, and during emergencies."[12] NamPower's 2023 Integrated Annual Report added that Van Eck power station ran mainly during the winter months when electricity demand was higher.[13]
It was reported that in the first six months of 2025, the Van Eck Power Station had been used primarily as a backup facility and produced almost no electricity, generating only 438 MWh (0.03%).[14] In December 2025, Van Eck power station reportedly generated no electricity.[15]
In their 2025 Integrated Annual Report, NamPower stated that the company “continues to manage the Van Eck Power Station prudently to ensure that the facility remains available for strategic standby use when required.”[16]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 https://www.gem.wiki/Coal_source_methodology_for_the_Global_Coal_Plant_Tracker.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "NATIONAL INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN (NIRP) REVIEW AND UPDATE" (PDF). Namibia Ministry of Mines and Energy. 2022-10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-08-15.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ↑ "Coal Prospects in Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia," International Energy Agency Clean Coal Centre, December 2013 (page 70)
- ↑ "Van Eck Power Station," NamPower website, accessed April 2014
- ↑ "Van Eck Power Station," NamPower website, accessed June 2021
- ↑ "Namibia - Country Commercial Guide," International Trade Administration, accessed June 2, 2021
- ↑ "Namibia: Keeping Pace Through Cleaner Coal," USTDA, accessed June 2, 2021
- ↑ "COP26: 'Phase Out' or 'Phase Down'? That is the Question for Namibia," Namibian, November 19, 2021
- ↑ "NamPower calls for bids for Anixas II power station’s construction," Engineering News, May 31, 2021
- ↑ "NamPower speaks on uranium, solar and Van Eck," The Brief, October 29, 2021
- ↑ "National Integrated Resource Pland (NIRP) - Review and Update," Ministry of Mines and Energy, Government of the Republic of Namibia, October 2022
- ↑ "Integrated Annual Report 2022," NamPower, February 21, 2023
- ↑ "Integrated Annual Report 2023," NamPower, March 2024
- ↑ "Namibia Electricity Generation," NUMERI24/7, September 2025
- ↑ “Nam Generated 51% of its Power in December 2025,” The Villager, March 13, 2026
- ↑ “NamPower Integrated Annual Report,” NamPower, March 2026
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
