Mozambique may supply another 100 megawatts of power to neighbouring South Africa in the short term, Mozambique’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Carlos Zacarias said today.
“Among the short-term solutions we are discussing is the rapid supply of 100 megawatts (MW) [to South Africa], after, of course, finalising the technical and commercial issues,” said Carlos Zacarias, cited by the local Mozambican press.
The Mozambican minister was speaking today in Pretoria, the South African capital, after a meeting with South Africa’s electricity minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who is trying to find sources of power to make up for the deficit the country suffers, forcing it to suffer regular blackouts.
The Mozambican governor assured that other medium and long term solutions are also underway, which include the operationalisation of some projects between Maputo and Ressano Garcia, in addition to the commissioning of the Temane Thermal Power Plant and the Mphanda Nkuwa project.
“We are extremely grateful to the people of Mozambique […] It is confirmation of our healthy relationship that we want to continue to grow,” said the South African electricity minister.
South Africa is already the main buyer of installed capacity at Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa, in central Mozambique, the biggest producing reservoir in Southern Africa, under a power purchase agreement that runs until 2029.
The Temane Thermal Power Plant, the largest post-independence power plant, with a capacity of 450MW, is among several energy projects underway in Mozambique, due to start operating in January 2025, using the natural gas reserves of Pande and Temane.
Also appearing as a solution for South Africa is the energy to be produced by the Mphanda Nkuwa hydroelectric project – still on paper – which in a first phase will have an installed capacity of up to 1500 MW, with the potential for a further 900 MW expansion in a second phase.
Lusa
