Energy production in the country increased by 15.3 per cent in the first six months of 2024, reaching a total of 10,097,812 MWh, according to official budget execution data from January to June.
According to Lusa, this growth was driven almost exclusively by hydroelectric production, which accounted for 85.4 per cent of the energy generated in the country during the period under review.
The Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Plant, located in the province of Tete, was mainly responsible for this performance, contributing 83.2 per cent of the total hydroelectric energy, equivalent to 8,396,380 MWh, which corresponds to 57.9 per cent of the target set for the whole of 2024.
‘The Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Plant, located in the province of Tete, was mainly responsible for this performance, contributing 83.2 per cent of the total hydroelectric energy, equivalent to 8,396,380 MWh, which corresponds to 57.9 per cent of the target set for the whole of 2024’
However, the dam’s management warned of future challenges due to the low level of storage in the reservoir, which, on June 30, stood at 316.98 metres, corresponding to 59.17% of useful storage.
This low level was attributed to the low inflows caused by the ‘El Niño’ phenomenon, which is characterised by below normal rainfall.
While hydroelectric production grew, thermal power generation, from eight diesel or gas power stations, fell by 8.9%, totalling 1,431,364 MWh, representing 14.2% of the total energy produced in the country. Production at solar parks also fell by 13.7 per cent, with a volume of just 45,017 MWh, which represented a modest 0.4 per cent of the total energy generated.
According to the source, the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Plant continues to be a crucial pillar in Mozambique’s energy matrix, although water conditions and climatic effects may impact its production capacity in the coming months.
The dam, which is the fourth largest reservoir in Africa, covers an area of 2,700 square kilometres and has an average depth of 26 metres, with a maximum length of 270 kilometres and 30 kilometres between banks.
