The Mozambican Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Max Tonela, announced on Wednesday that US$200 million, out of the US$600 million, has been made available for building the electricity transmission line from Caia, on the south bank of the Zambezi river to the northern port of Nacala.

The first stretch to be built will run from Caia to Alto Molocue in Zambezia province, and Tonela said the conclusion of this stretch is scheduled for 2022.

He reiterated that all 151 district capitals will be electrified by the end of this year. Work is still to be completed on just three district capitals – Doa, in Tete province, and Luabo and Mulevala, in Zambezia.

Speaking in Maputo at the opening of a meeting of his Ministry’s Coordinating Council, Tonela said the government also wants to eliminate the dependence of border towns on electricity generated in the neighbouring countries. Work is thus under way to connect Milange district, on the border with Malawi, to the Mozambican national grid, and this too should be completed by the end of the year.

Source: AIM