Talatona - Angola expects to reach an installed capacity of 9.0 GW by 2027, with the conclusion of the Caculo Cabaça hydroelectric power plant currently under construction, the Minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges, said on Friday in Luanda.
The minister, who was speaking at the opening of the 25th Meeting of the Steering Committee of the Central Africa Energy Hub (RNT), said the country's energy transition had reached a total installed capacity of 6.3 GW in recent years, with the recent conclusion of the construction of the Lauca dam.
According to the minister, the conclusion of these projects will make it possible to generate an additional 2.17 GW, as well as the addition of 500 MW of solar capacity from photovoltaic power plants.
The minister added that as well as hydroelectric production, Angola has been modernizing and diversifying its energy matrix, with the recent construction of seven photovoltaic plants providing electricity to more than 500,000 inhabitants in rural areas.
João Batista Borges emphasized that there were still challenges in the area of infrastructure and the need to start an energy process with lower investment costs and accessibility for communities.
According to the minister, the Central African Region still has a low average level of electrification, standing at around 40 percent for a total population of 185 million inhabitants with an energy potential estimated at approximately 50 GW and a current installed capacity of 10 GW.
The minister explained that the electricity sector is permanently confronted with the need for huge financial, human and technological resources to meet its many challenges in terms of production, transport and distribution making it essential to encourage private investment and promote the financing of public-private partnerships.
Minister Borges explained that Angola intends to promote the construction of an electricity transmission system that connects it to neighboring Republic of Zambia and integrate the National Electricity System of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) system.
The minister added that the country plans to move ahead with the construction of interconnections with the central regions of southern Africa, in particular the Republics of Namibia, Zambia and Democratic Congo.VS/MAG/DAN/AMP
