Globeleq, one of the largest investors in Mozambique’s energy production sector, has missed the scheduled start of construction for the 120-megawatt Namaacha Wind Power Plant, initially planned for the second half of this year.
The reasons behind the delay remain unknown, and there is no new timeline for the start of construction of this project, which results from a partnership between GLOBELEQ and the Mozambican government.
The construction’s commencement was confirmed in May of this year by President Filipe Nyusi and the British High Commissioner in Maputo during the Mozambique Energy and Mining Conference and Exhibition.
At the time, the only reported obstacle was the need to finalize certain details.
The plant, with an estimated cost of $270 million, is expected to increase the energy exported by Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM), benefiting from higher energy sale prices in the region while also supplying the growing domestic market.
Of the total investment, $230 million is earmarked for the power generation plant, while the remaining amount will be used to construct a 40-kilometer transmission line connecting Namaacha and Boane districts.
The Boane substation, in turn, connects to EDM’s regional export corridors.
Earlier this year, Samir Salé, Director of Development and Business at GLOBELEQ, assured that the project was in its final stages, indicating that construction could begin between the second and third quarters of this year. However, sources close to the company have confirmed that the start has been delayed.
The construction of the power plant is expected to take two years, with operations initially projected to begin in mid-2026. This timeline will now be adjusted due to the postponement.
The project is seen as a solution to reinforce EDM’s network in the southern provinces of Maputo, Gaza, and Inhambane.
“We are in the final stages of development and expect to begin construction in the second half of this year. We hope the President of the Republic will lay the first stone for the project. Our goal is to start construction during President Nyusi’s term,” said Samir Salé in an interview with AIM in May of this year.
According to GLOBELEQ, this will be the country’s first large-scale wind power plant, designed to produce 120 MW.
The project aligns with the government’s energy transition strategy, aiming to generate clean energy using renewable resources to meet peak demand and capitalize on regional energy demand.
The decision to build the Namaacha Wind Power Plant confirms Mozambique’s potential in renewable energy, which will enhance the grid’s resilience through clean energy and manage intermittencies in the southern region using off-grid resources.
Renewable energy currently accounts for 70% of the national energy matrix, serving as a cornerstone for ensuring energy access for the entire population by 2030.
Recently, approximately 55 MW were added to the national grid through the Cuamba power plant (15 MW) and the Mocuba power plant (40 MW), underscoring the importance of sustainable energy sources supported by favorable political, institutional, and legal-regulatory frameworks.
AIM
