Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Over the past few years the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been facing regional power shortages. These regional power shortages currently being experienced within the SADC region have been partly due to a lack of generation capacity and transmission capacity constraints. This situation has been further aggravated by the unanticipated economic growth within the SADC region. In order for the SADC region to meet its electricity demand, the region needs to invest in new generation and transmission projects. However, due to the inability of regional utilities to raise funds to finance these projects, the projects tend to not reach financial close resulting in the increase of the regional power deficits. Although these regional power shortages have been attributed to the lack of adequate investment in power generation projects and power transmission interconnector projects, this research report was limited to the development and financing of power transmission interconnector projects. The objective of this research report was to identify the dynamics that prohibit regional power transmission interconnectors from reaching financial close and to recommend possible solutions on how best to develop and package these projects. The research used the proposed developmental approach of the ZIZABONA transmission interconnector project as a case study to develop a generic model that could be utilised on other regional transmission interconnector projects. Based on the research presented in this research report, the study has highlighted project finance as a viable funding strategy. Regional utilities can utilise this funding strategy to package and finance joint transmission regional interconnectors to alleviate the current regional power shortages by facilitating regional electricity trade.