6 July 2009
Maputo — Mozambique is prepared to increase its sales of electricity to Botswana from 30 to 75 megawatts, according to Energy Minister Salvador Namburete
Namburete told AIM that the Botswana government had made this request, and the government had decided there was just enough spare capacity available at the Cahora Bassa dam to allow the increase.
The Cahora Bassa power station has five giant turbines each capable of generating 415 megawatts. So the maximum installed capacity at the dam is 2,075 megawatts.
Most of this is now committed - 1,300 megawatts sold to the South African electricity company Eskom, 200 megawatts to the Zimbabwean company ZESA, and 400 megawatts reserved for Mozambique's own power distribution company, EDM.
Namburete said that HCB has been selling 30 megawatts to Botswana for some years under the existing arrangements. If necessary, the extra power for Botswana can be supplied from EDM's reserve.
Namburete added that EDM is working with the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) to ensure that the agreement is viable. Since Botswana does not border on Mozambique, the power must pass through either Zimbabwe or South Africa. Using the Zimbabwean lines is cheaper, but they are in a poor state of repair.
Botswana is therefore also negotiating the rehabilitation of the Zimbabwean power lines. The matter is urgent since Eskom is no longer able to sell power to Botswana due to South Africa's own shortage of electricity.
In the long term, the region's electricity requirement can be met with the dramatic expansion planned in Mozambique's generating capacity. The dam planned on the Zambezi at Mepanda Nkua, 60 kilometres downstream from Cahora Bassa, should provide 1,500 megawatts, and a second Cahora Bassa power station, on the north bank of the river, could add an extra 1,000 megawatts.
Two large coal fired power stations are planned in Moatize district, one operated by the Brazilian mining giant Vale, and the second by the Australian company, Riversdale.
Mm/pf (328)
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