The Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Plant (HCB) has more than doubled the water levels in its reservoir, approaching 50% of its capacity, following historic lows caused by drought. The recovery is due to the current rainy season, bringing relief to the national energy sector, reported Lusa.
“We are now recovering. We are approaching 50% of capacity, and probably by the end of the rainy season, later this month, we will be very close to that level, starting from around 20%,” said HCB’s Chairman of the Board, Tomás Matola.
He spoke on the sidelines of the Renewable Energy Conference in Mozambique (RENMOZ), taking place until March 18 in Brussels. The event was attended by President Daniel Chapo, who presented projects aimed at attracting European investment.
Tomás Matola explained that the recovery was mainly driven by rainfall “upstream of the reservoir,” with tributaries being “critical for this recovery.” The improvement in levels comes after a prolonged period of water scarcity.
“Throughout the year, we will produce energy based on this storage. Levels are expected to drop again by the end of the year, but we believe that in the next rainy season there will be another recovery until we reach the desired levels,” he said. The manager expressed confidence that HCB and other projects on the Zambezi River, such as the future Mphanda Nkuwa dam with 1,500 megawatts, will meet domestic and regional needs.
“And, above all, for South Africa, where demand is very high, higher than in other countries in the region. With these projects, we believe Mozambique can establish itself as a regional energy hub,” he added.
Tomás Matola also stated that HCB’s vision through 2034 is to reach a capacity of up to 4,000 megawatts, compared to the current 2,075 MW, including the construction of a new power plant and a solar park.
“HCB is approaching 50% of its capacity thanks to the current rainy season.”
Tomás Matola
Despite the recovery, the sector faces challenges. Electricity production in Mozambique fell by 25% in 2025 due to a lack of water in the reservoir, following the worst rainfall record in the past 43 years, according to official data.
The Budget Execution Report indicates that the country produced about 14.4 million megawatt-hours, corresponding to 76.7% of the annual plan and representing a 25.4% decline compared to 2024 due to the poor performance of hydroelectric plants.
“The hydroelectric plants recorded an execution level of 72.3% and a decrease of 30.7% compared to the same period in 2024,” the document states, highlighting the impact of water scarcity.
Mozambique remains the largest producer of hydroelectricity in Southern Africa, with nearly all production coming from HCB, complemented by small dams managed by Electricidade de Moçambique. In 2025, hydroelectric plants generated about 11.2 million megawatt-hours, down 30.7% compared to 2024, due to the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, which has affected HCB since 2023, according to the report.
“The lack of rainfall in the Zambezi basin reduced water availability in the country’s main reservoirs, resulting in the worst rainfall record in the past 43 years,” the report adds.
The shortage of sufficient and affordable energy also led to a dispute that forced Mozal, the country’s largest industry, to suspend operations from March 15, affecting more than 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Source: Diário Económico
