Mozambique: Five Billion Dollars Needed to Solve Energy Crisis

Mozambique needs about five billion US dollars to invest in energy projects to try and solve the current crisis in this sector, according to Energy Minister Salvador Namburete, cited in Thursday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”.

The government is currently placing its bets mainly on seeking investments for new hydroelectric power stations. Of these the largest is at the projected Mpanda Nkua dam, on the Zambezi river some 70 kilometres downstream from the existing dam at Cahora Bassa.
Mepanda Nkua could generate 1,300 megawatts, a new power station on the Lurio river could produce 120 megawatts, and the recently rehabilitated dam at Massingir, on the Elephants river, a major tributary of the Limpopo, could contribute 27 megawatts.

Speaking to reporters during an interval in the Forum of African Energy Ministers, Namburete added that a gas-fired power station in Inhambane province could produce 750 megawatts. There were also plans for a large coal-fired power station at Moatize in Tete province.

“At the same time we are still conducting feasibility studies on other places with the potential to generate energy”, the Minister said. “We have a great energy potential, that may reach 12,500 megawatts in hydropower alone. That would be enough to satisfy our needs, not only to serve the people, but also for the mega-projects”.

AllAfrica