The Southern African Development Community (SADC) plans several large storage dams over the next decade worth about US$ 11 billion or N$70. During a three-day energy conference that ended in Windhoek on Wednesday, some 300 delegates discussed new power generation projects for Southern Africa, which are necessary to avoid electricity shortages from 2007 onwards. "Without electricity there can no economic development," said Prime Minister Nahas Angula, when opening the conference. Surprisingly, Angula noted that atomic energy was a renewable source. "Renewable energies like gas, coal and nuclear energy should also be considered", he noted, but did not mention wind or solar energy, which are internationally regarded as reneweables. At the conference more dam construction on the Zambezi are planned by Zambia, while Namibia presented the kudu gas field development, which will now only be decided on during the 3rd quarter of 2006. The strategic planning document of the SADC Power Pool (SAPP), an umbrella body consisting of 12 power utilities of SADC member states has listed the controversial Epupa hydro project on the Kunene River among its projects. It is supposed to generate electricity by 2015. A smaller hydro station on the Okavango River close to the Popa Falls is also listed to supply power by 2015.