Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB), one of the largest hydroelectric plants in Africa, announced that it has restored 56% of its water storage capacity, despite operational challenges, and now expects “satisfactory” production for 2026.
“The outlook for 2026 is encouraging, reflecting the recovery of water storage levels in the reservoir, currently at 56%,” the company stated in a report on its 2025 performance and forecasts for the near future.
In the statement cited by Lusa, the company also noted that this storage level “could enable an increase in production to levels higher than planned, which was 11,716.76 gigawatt-hours (GWh), corresponding to growth of over 7.29% compared to 2025.”
“The company will remain focused on the prudent management of resources, operational efficiency, and the adoption of technological solutions that strengthen the reliability of the energy system,” it added, noting that 2025 was marked by operational challenges resulting from the continuous reduction in water storage at the Cahora Bassa reservoir, which stood at 26.01% at the end of the 2024–25 rainy season.
In response, HCB implemented a cost-cutting and recovery program that improved inventory levels to 27.23% as of December 31, 2025, up from 21.19% in the same period of 2024, signaling a path to recovery.
HCB is a private limited company, 85% owned by the state-owned Companhia Eléctrica do Zambeze and 7.5% by the Portuguese company Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN). The company holds 3.5% of its own shares, while the remaining 4% are held by Mozambican citizens, companies, and institutions.
The Cahora Bassa reservoir is the fourth largest in Africa, with a maximum length of 270 kilometers and a width of 30 kilometers, covering 2,700 square kilometers and having an average depth of 26 meters. It employs nearly 800 workers and is one of the largest electricity producers in southern Africa, supplying neighboring countries.
In 2025, HCB achieved revenues of approximately 293.2 million euros and a net profit of 95.5 million euros, reflecting prudent management of water and financial resources.
“Last year, the company contributed approximately 255.7 million euros to the Mozambican government through taxes, fees, and dividends, reinforcing its role as a strategic asset for the national economy and the country’s energy stability,” said HCB Board Chairman Tomás Matola, as quoted in the report.
“Energy exports” by HCB, he added, “continued to play a significant role in generating foreign exchange, contributing to the strength of the country’s balance of payments.”
Previously, in 2024, HCB had recorded profits of 14.1 billion meticais (195.7 million euros), representing growth of nearly 8.5% compared to 2023, “the highest in the company’s history” and the “combined result” of total production generated last year, amounting to 15,753.52 GWh, “and the adjustment of the tariff for energy sales abroad,” it was announced at the time.
