[2019-03-06] Solar power plant in Mocuba, Mozambique, starts operating this month

Source: Macauhub

The Mocuba solar plant in Zambezia province, central Mozambique, is due to go start operating by the end of this month, generating 40 megawatts (MW) of electricity, a source from the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy announced.

“With the start-up of this plant, the centre-north line from Tete in the centre of the country will be supplied through an alternative source,” said the source quoted by Mozambican newspaper Notícias.

The source stressed the importance of the enterprise for Zambezia province, in particular, explaining that the region has an energy deficit to feed current projects and others in the planning stage, such as the port of Macuse and the construction of 300 houses in Quelimane , by the Fund for the Promotion of Housing (FFH).

The plant is expected to produce 79,000 megawatts per year, which will be injected into the Mozambican electricity grid and provide electricity to 175,000 homes.

The cost of this project is estimated at US$76 million, achieved through a capital injection of US$14 million, a US$7.0 million grant, and a US$55 million loan.

The partners of this project are Scatec Solar (52.5%), KLP Norfund Investments (22.5%) and Electricidade de Moçambique (25%), with Scatec drawing up the engineering project, purchasing equipment and responsible for construction as well as operation and maintenance.