Africa-Press – Angola. The Minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges, highlighted, on Thursday, the level of execution of works on the Caculo Cabaça hydroelectric dam, municipality of Cambambe (Cuanza- Norte).
According to the director, who was speaking at the end of a meeting of the Technical Committee for Steering and Monitoring the work, progress has been made in the excavation of the two return tunnels and access to the plant.
The tunnels, each five kilometers long and 16 meters in diameter, are the infrastructure where the turbines will be installed, the construction of which, according to João Baptista Borges, is in the order of 22 and 11 percent.
Despite the progress of work on this front, the person responsible stressed that due to the complexity required to drill the tunnels, the construction of many other infrastructures of the hydroelectric complex are experiencing some delays as they will require some readjustments to meet the contractual deadline for the project. execution.
João Baptista Borges pointed out technical situations that require the integration of some equipment necessary for the progress of the work, as well as difficulties with geological conditions that were not expected, due to underground work, such as constraints that contribute to delays on other fronts.
The minister also pointed out constraints that occur in the project’s financial lines, such as delays in payment to the inspector or project designer, a fundamental entity in the approval of the project and which ensures compliance with contractual deadlines.
He stated that he will work with the Ministry of Finance to regularize the situation.
João Baptista Borges recommended permanent meetings between all members involved in carrying out the work to avoid embarrassment.
Despite the constraints, according to the project director, Augusto Chico, the work is progressing by around 14.07 percent physically and 15 percent financially.
He assured that many infrastructures have been built that will contribute to accelerating the construction of the dam.
Energy production at the Caculo Cabaça dam is scheduled for October 2026, with the first turbine coming into operation.
The works, which began in 2017 and are valued at more than five billion dollars, currently have 2,500 employees, including nationals and foreigners.
The project is co-financed by the People’s Republic of China, in the civil construction component of the hydroelectric plant and the associated transport system, worth 4.5 billion dollars, and by Germany, in the supply and assembly of equipment. electromechanical, budgeted at 1.02 billion.
The Caculo Cabaça hydroelectric project is expected to produce two thousand 172 megawatts (MW) and will be part of the range of dams in the middle Kwanza, such as Cambambe (Cuanza Norte), Capanda and Laúca (Malanje).
The construction of the dam is being carried out by the Chinese state-owned group China Gezhouba Group.
In addition to the meeting, João Baptista Borges visited all ongoing works in hydroelectric development, such as the main plant, tunnels, dam, shipyards, bridge and others.
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