Africa Energy: Hydropower plants generate most of Angola energy

Angola’s electricity sector has been saving a total of 669,000 litres of gasoline per day since 2017, with the start-up of new hydroelectric plants, Angolan President João Lourenço said in his State of the Nation speech in Luanda on Monday.

“Angola currently has an installed capacity of four thousand four hundred and nine megawatts (MW),” he said.

Since 2017, Angola’s overall energy production has for the first time been predominantly hydro, accounting for 78% of the total.

“This results from the investments made in the construction of the Laúca Dam and in the Cambambe power plant,” said Lourenço.

The start-up of new hydroelectric plants has allowed the power supply capacity to be boosted in provinces such as Luanda, Huambo and Namibe.

With the ongoing investments, the government also plans to improve energy supply in the provinces of Moxico, Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul.

Regarding the water sub-sector, the Head of State pointed out that efforts are being made to revitalise water network construction projects and to reduce the supply gap in Luanda and in the cities of the interior.

President Lourenço also said that recently approved legislation would contribute to attracting more investment in the oil sector and halting the decline in oil production, especially the Non-Associated Gas Exploration and Production Industry Law.

He added that the process of implementing the National Oil and Gas Agency, which will take on the role of a national oil and gas concessionaire, has begun, replacing Sonangol, which will focus only on oil research and production .

“Soon, the process of privatisation of a large part of Sonangol’s non-core companies, (…) will begin, so that the company will focus on its essential activities,” he said.

With the aim of developing the refining of crude oil Lourenço recalled that public tenders were launched for the construction of a large refinery in Lobito, with mixed capital, a refinery in Cabinda, with private capital and to increase the capacity of the Luanda Refinery. (macauhub)