Mozambique is negotiating with Zimbabwe and Zambia to make it possible for 20 to 25 billion cubic metres of water from the Zambezi River to enter the reservoir of the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Dam (HCB), with the aim of mitigating the plant’s low storage levels, which threaten its energy production capacity, the newspaper Noticias reported .
The head of the River Basin Management Department of the Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, Agostinho Vilanculo, explained that the dam’s current storage is just 20 per cent, far below the 70 per cent typical in years of higher rainfall. The aim of the negotiations is to prioritise the release of water by neighbouring countries in order to stabilise energy production.
According to Vilanculo, ‘the ideal would be for Zambia and Zimbabwe to release at least 25 billion cubic metres of water, allowing the reservoir to be replenished efficiently’. He emphasised the superior efficiency of the HCB compared to the Kariba dam (located in Zambia and Zimbabwe), even in scenarios of low water levels.
The HCB is a pillar in the supply of energy to Mozambique and neighbouring countries, and is essential for the tariff stability and economic sustainability of the region. A shortage of water in the reservoir jeopardises electricity production, generating potential negative impacts on energy costs and availability.
Negotiations between the three countries play a fundamental role in the management of water resources, especially in the face of the challenges posed by climate change, which affects rainfall patterns and reservoir levels.
Agostinho Vilanculo emphasised that a joint approach is indispensable to guarantee efficiency in the management of the regional water market and the continuity of HCB’s strategic role in energy generation: ‘The water market is dynamic, and concerted action will be crucial to ensure that the dam continues to drive regional development.’
