Mozambique - Power-up growth

Over the last decade national GDP has increased by a factor of eight, one of Africa’s strongest performances, although the country is still among the poorest of the world. To attract further large investment projects in natural resources and to keep high growth rates, reforms to stabilize the economy were introduced by the government.

Mozambique has a technically fea­sible hydropower potential of about 37,647 GWh/year, equivalent to around 6,600 MW of installed capacity. Some 92% of the country’s current electricity demand is covered by hydropower. Access to electricity has tripled over the last decade, with up to 40% of the population having mains supply, and electricity demand is expected to increase by 8–10% within the next decade.

With a capacity of about 2,185 MW, only a third of the hydro potential has been developed so far but more than 4,000 MW are in the feasibility study phase. There are plans to build more than 3,400 MW of new hydropower facilities, most of them in the Zambezi River valley. HPP Mphanda Nkuwa with 1,500 MW and the 1,245 MW extension of the Cahora Bassa hydropower station are among these projects.

Small hydro is also an interesting solution for the supply of the mostly small-scale farming economy in Mo­zambique with affordable and reliable power. About 3,000 MW of additional small hydropower plants could be developed throughout the country.

ANDRITZ HYDRO 

ANDRITZ HYDRO has almost 70 years of experience in the Mozambican hydropower market. First equipment deliveries were executed in the late 1940s at HPP Mawusi. Since then, ANDRITZ HYDRO has equipped a number of small hydropower plants. The latest developments pose interesting possibilities to improve the presence of ANDRITZ HYDRO in Mozambique and to support the country in the development of its promising hydropower potential.

Author: Martin Koubek, Wilhelm Karanitsch