Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) has established a rapid response unit for natural disasters, weeks before the start of the country's next rainy season, which runs through to April. The measure was announced on Thursday (27) by the state utility's board chairman, Joaquim Ou-Chim, during celebrations marking EDM's 49th anniversary in Maputo.
"What the company did was to create, within the organisation, a unit capable of responding to these situations. We call this structure the Natural Disaster Rapid Response Unit, which prepares throughout the year to be able to address these issues," Ou-Chim explained. The event also marked the official launch of commemorations for the company's 50th anniversary, to be celebrated in 2027.
The EDM chairman identified climate change as one of the principal challenges to achieving Mozambique's universal electrification target by 2030. During the last rainy season, between October and April, the utility recorded losses of €2 million and estimated that €8.1 million would be required to restore damaged infrastructure.
Beyond the impact of natural phenomena, EDM continues to face difficulties in guaranteeing electricity supply to 58 administrative posts. The company cites equipment vandalism and electricity theft as the main obstacles, factors that are also impeding the advancement of electrification across the country.
"In terms of what lies ahead, it is precisely a matter of continuing to create conditions for universal access — once again combating the vandalism of infrastructure and also energy theft," Ou-Chim said. The company thus maintains its focus on expanding electricity access and reducing losses.
To meet the government's universal electricity access target by 2030, EDM is continuing to expand connections at a time when the national electrification rate has already reached 66.4%. The company plans to establish at least 420,000 new connections by the end of 2026, with the potential to benefit approximately two million people.
In the first quarter of this year alone, more than 75,000 new connections were made through the National Electricity Grid and autonomous systems powered by solar plants and mini-hydroelectric facilities. Ou-Chim stressed, however, that resource mobilisation to expand the grid must be accompanied by efforts to combat losses caused by energy theft and infrastructure vandalism.
"What we need is to continue mobilising resources and also, for this electrification process to succeed, we need to combat losses," the chairman added. The company also intends to strengthen the use of digital platforms to improve service quality and increase operational efficiency.
"We need to reduce, for example, the average response time in the event of a fault or a customer request. That is our challenge, and we trust that by investing in technology we will be able to resolve this issue," Ou-Chim said.
The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, António Manda, called on EDM to deepen its modernisation, efficiency and results-orientation, upholding "high standards of ethics and institutional responsibility, including good governance, transparency and accountability."
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/08/27/negocios/empresas/edm-cria-unidade-de-resposta-rapida-para-enfrentar-desastres-naturais/
