Africa-Press – Angola. The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, stated this Friday, in the municipality of Matala, Huíla, that the transport and distribution of electrical energy must be the “priority of priorities” of the sector, taking into account the sustainable development of Angola and the well-being of its citizens.
According to the Head of State, in statements to the press after inaugurating the Matala Hydroelectric Plant, this priority comes from the fact that only ten of the country’s 18 provinces are connected to the national grid.
Without neglecting production, an area in which the country is already self-sufficient, João Lourenço raised the possibility, in the near future, of exporting energy to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, as well as injecting electricity into the Southern African Development Community network. (SADC), from Ruacaná (Cuando-Cubango).
On the other hand, João Lourenço recalled that of the country’s two large basins, the main one is Cuanza where there are already three large dams, namely Kapanda, Laúca and Cambambe, which recently benefited from restoration works.
He said, at the moment, in the same basin, the Caculo-Cabaça dam is under construction, which will be the largest of all in the country, with two thousand 171 megawatts.
He added that three new hydroelectric plants are planned to be built in the same location, namely Zenzo (one thousand megawatts), Túmulo do Caçador (500 megawatts) and Baynes (300 megawatts).
He said that with future projects combined with those already producing, they will exceed seven thousand megawatts, in the Cuanza basin, to be gradually injected into the national energy grid.
João Lourenço inaugurated this Friday, in the province of Huíla, the Matala Hydroelectric Plant, where the Angolan Executive invested 106 million, 940 thousand, 676, 12 Euros in equipment.
The increase in its production by 13.6 MW will be made possible with the entry into operation of the third turbine, and will mitigate the deficit recorded in recent years and improve the provision of electricity distribution services to communities connected to the southern interconnected system.
The project will also make it possible to reduce the operating cost of thermal power plants, by reducing fossil fuel consumption and guarantee the continuity of electrical energy production for the next 20 years or more.
Matala is a village and seat of the municipality with the same name. It has an estimated population of 355 thousand 456 inhabitants.
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