Luanda - Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo will be interconnected, within two years, by a line of around 1,200 kilometers for the transport and supply of electricity, with two thousand megawatts, according to the minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges.
To implement this project, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed this Thursday in Luanda between the National Power Transport Network (RNT) and the international companies Promarks and Trafigura, with a view to carrying out a technical and economic feasibility study for the development of a Public-Private Partnership model, as well as the implementation of a regional transport and energy supply project.
The agreement was signed by the RNT's Board Chairman, Rui Gourgel, member of RNT, Mauro Martins, executive director of ProMarks, Elísio Augusto, and member of the Board of Directors of Lobito Atlantic Railway, Julien Rolland.
The electricity interconnection project between the three countries, valued at more than a billion American dollars, also aims to integrate the SADC region and Central Africa, expected to generate more than two thousand jobs.
Speaking to the press, minister João Baptista Borges said that the program will connect the Middle Kwanza area, where Angola has the main installed capacity, a fact that will allow the country to sell energy in the Eastern Region, with emphasis on mining activity.
To this end, he said, there will be an energy purchase agreement between the Angolan public producer and the transport system operator, which in turn will conclude sales agreements with the end users.
“Bilateral contracts will be concluded at a price or with a tariff negotiated between the parties, without fixed prices”, he clarified.
According to the minister, this project will allow Angola to become a “polyenergy company” in the market, which will be able to sell energy cheaper, compared to other producers, who will also be able to buy when they need it.
He mentioned that the current phase is to prepare feasibility studies, a process that is ongoing with the signing of agreements between buyers and sellers, the establishment of concessions, as well as field work and demining.
He announced that Angola and Zambia will sign, in the near future, an intergovernmental agreement that recognizes this concession within the legislative framework of both countries.
In the case of Angolan legislation, he highlighted, the concession period is up to 30 years.
With this, continued the minister, Angola finds an opportunity to transport part of its production surplus, launching an invitation to the private sector to promote and finance the interconnection project.
Regarding the Lobito Corridor, João Baptista Borges assured that the intention is to add energy and telecommunications transport to this infrastructure.
In turn, Rui Gourgel, stated that the project is part of the Network Development Plan, and they were just waiting for the investment opportunity.
He recalled that Angola has a surplus in energy production, but there is still a need for electrification in the country, where transport networks need to be extended to all points in the 18 provinces.
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