Mozambique Energy: And Moamba-Major comes to life…

The foundation stone for the construction of the Moamba-Major dam on the Incomati River and related works was laid Friday at a ceremony attended by the President of Mozambique, according to Mozambican daily newspaper Notícias. The project, which will be built on the Incomati River, will have the capacity to store 760 million cubic metres of water, to be partly used for irrigation in the river valley of and produce 15 megawatts of electricity to add to the national energy grid.

The Moamba-Major dam is also designed to help solve the drinking water deficit in Maputo, Matola, Boane and Marracuene as well as along the route of the main pipe.

Construction of the dam will involve restoration of the railway system between Movene and Ressano Garcia, on the right bank of the Incomati River, along 19 kilometres, including approximately two kilometres of bridges.

As well as the railway line a road is due to be built connecting the village of Moamba to the construction site of the dam, over a distance of about ten kilometres.

The cost of the work is estimated at US$466 million to be financed with a loan to Mozambique from Brazil, which had already loaned US$8.5 million to carry out the environmental impact study and engineering design of the dam. (edited by macauhub/BR/MZ)