Mozambique steps up energy development

MOZAMBIQUE - Mozambique has stepped up efforts to develop electrical energy generation projects as a way of responding to the crisis faced by most countries in the southern African region, state media reported.

The daily Noticias said the government was mainly focusing its attention of South Africa, which was currently facing one of its worst electrical energy crises.

Salvador Namburete, energy minister, told the paper that the country was developing certain electrical projects in order to supply countries in the Southern African Development Community region.

It was not immediately known how much the government was investing in the development of the electrical projects.

The chief executive of Mozambique's energy utility, Electricidade de Mozambique, Manuel Cuambe, said the country would have to rehabilitate the hydroelectric facilities at the Chicamba and Mavuzi in central Mozambique in order to beef up energy production.

Currently the two projects only produce 45 megawatts out of a potential 90 megawatts.

"We will have to construct a new electrical energy production centre at Mepanda Uncua (on the Zambezi River, seven kilometres downstream of Cahorra Bassa) and coal production centre in Moatize, each with the potential of 15 000 megawatts," said Cuambe.

He added that in the next few years a gas production centre would be constructed at Pande in Inhambane province where natural gas is being mined under a government agreement with South Africa's petrochemical giant, Sasol.

Zimbabwe, Swaziland are also among southern African countries looking to Mozambique for energy top-ups.

Mozambique's energy potential is mainly on the Zambezi River, the vast natural gas fields and the coalfields in the northern province of Tete.