Lubango – The Angolan government on Friday in central Huila province laid the cornerstone for the start of work to extend the 400 kilowatt high voltage line that will connect the southern electricity system to the northern one.
In the north, where most of Angola's dams are located, there is a surplus in energy production, while the south is experiencing a deficit, hence the government's investment in bringing the product through the Malanje, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Huambo and Huíla connection, from where it will go to Namibe and Cunene.
With this project launched for the construction of a substation financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) with 220 million US dollars, more than a million people in Huíla and Namibe will benefit from electricity over the next three years.
It will allow a 343 kilometer line to be installed between Huambo and Lubango, the works of which will take 26 months.
Speaking at the launching ceremony , the Minister of Energy and Water João Borges said the government, within the scope of the Development Plan (2023-2027), has set as a priority the interconnection between the central (Huambo) and southern (Huíla) electricity systems, with the aim of providing an increasing quantity and quality of energy to the population.
After reaching Lubango and Namibe, said the minister, the government has already planned an extension to the municipality of Cahama (Cunene) to interconnect it with the Namibian system.
João Borges said the aim is to bring energy capacity that can meet the requirements of industry, agriculture and commercial activity, underlining that in recent years, hundreds of kilometres of high voltage lines have been installed from Cambambe to Luanda and Lahuca to Cunza Sul, Huambo and Bié.
Huíla and Namibe currently share an interconnected system, which has as its source the Mala Hydroelectric Plant, thermal power stations in Lubango, as well as the Caraculo photovoltaic field and the Chitoto power station, both in Namibe.
These systems generate close to 150 megawatts, while the needs of the two provinces are 375. JT/MS/TED/AMP
