PIPES DEPARTMENT (PLANNING, INVESTMENT PROGRAMMING & ENVIRONMENTAL SAFEGUARDS)
The implementation of priority investment programmes is coordinated by the WAPP Secretariat through the PIPES Department, which is responsible for supervising the development and implementation of projects right from the planning phase through to the commissioning of the projects (pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, financing, preparation of tender documents, and implementation).
In collaboration with the Strategic Planning and Environmental Committee and task forces, the major activities of PIPES are carried out, within the framework of implementing the WAPP investment programme.
These activities include:
- Prepare terms of reference for project studies and supervise the consultant selection process
- Conduct, coordinate and monitor feasibility, technical, economic, financial and environmental studies of regional project interconnection lines and generation facilities
- Supervise the selection process for the contractor to undertake the implementation of projects
- Coordinate, supervise and review periodically the implementation of regional project interconnection lines and generation facilities
- Organise meetings of the Strategic Planning and Environmental Committee for the adoption of programmes and recommendations based on studies undertaken and provide support to the committee in the accomplishment of its mission
- Solicit and mobilize financing for projects and organise coordination meetings with relevant donors
The human resources of the PIPES Department currently in charge of all activities relating to the implementation of the priority investment programme consist of six persons each responsible for specific activities :
- The Head of Studies, Planning and Funds Mobilisation, responsible for the preparation of the Priority Projects and mobilisation of financing, is the only permanent staff of the Department. The position of PIPES Director, responsible for the supervision of the overall activities of the Department, has been vacant since January 2011 and is being covered since that date by the Head of Studies, Planning and Funds Mobilisation
- Three Project Coordinators seconded to the WAPP by VRA, ECG and EDG
- One Project Coordinator from ECG and on contract responsible for the MV Cross Border Projects
- Project Administrator on contract
In addition, a Technical Assistant, contracted within the framework of the cooperation between the European Union and WAPP, is providing technical support to the WAPP Secretariat from September 2012 to August 2013. This was preceded by a resident 3-year EU-funded Technical Assistance that concluded in June 2012.
The strategic goals of WAPP under the supervision of PIPES relate to the planning and implementation of regional energy infrastructure whose medium term implementation strategy was defined in the 2009 -2012 Business Plan adopted by the WAPP General Assembly in October 2009. The WAPP Priority Investment Programme presented in the table below, within the purview of this Business Plan and taking into consideration the gap between demand and supply of electricity, comprises several sub programmes for generation and transmission projects whose implementation will enable to the interconnection of a majority of countries within the region by 2017. A review of the implementation of this programme and the analysis of their impact are dealt with in 5.6.