A consortium led by the French power giant EDF has partnered with Mozambique to undertake the development of a $5 billion Mphanda Nkuwa hydropower project. This initiative seeks to harness energy from one of Africa’s largest rivers.
“This is the first concrete step for Mozambique to capitalise on the immense hydropower potential of the Zambezi River and the country’s other energy resources,” Mozambique Energy Minister Carlos Zacarias said in a statement.
The new dam will provide low-cost electricity to the southern African country and help position it as a regional exporter of clean, renewable energy, he added.
The dam will link Tete to the capital, Maputo, via a transmission line of around 1,300 (800 miles).
The first turbine is expected to operate by 2031, officials say during a signing ceremony attended by senior French and Mozambican government officials, including President Filipe Nyusi.
The larger Cahora Bassa Dam in Mozambique, situated on the Zambezi River, currently provides power to the neighbouring country of South Africa. This comes as Africa’s most industrialised nation grapples with its most severe power outage in living memory.
