Mozambique Energy Industry: Cahora Bassa produces more power in 2014

Energy production by the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Facility (HCB) increased in 2014 by around 6.35 percent to 15,892 GWh, the company’s management said in a statement cited by Mozambican daily newspaper Notícias. According to the statement increased production was driven by the completion of the first phase of recovery of the Songo substation, which involved installation of two new smoothing choke modules, equipment which is critical for the direct current power transmission system.

HCB also said the months of January, May, July, August, October, November and December were the main contributors to annual production, as they recorded an average of 1,403 GWh in a year when the monthly was just 1,324 GWh.

The dam’s construction work began in 1969 when the contract was awarded to the Zamco (Zambezi Consórcio Hidroeléctrico, Lda.) consortium and Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa, SARL was founded in 1975.

About 30 years later, the project was handed over to the Mozambican state, which took a stake of 85 percent compared to an 18-percent stake previously, which meant it incurred a debt of US$700 million, of which US$250 million was paid at the time the facility was transferred.

According to the schedule, the company must pay the entire debt to Portugal by the end of 2016. (macauhub/MZ/PT)