Photo: The Minister in the Presidency responsible for electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa together hosting Mr Carlos Zacarias, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources in Mozambique at the Union Buildings, Pretoria.
Photo: The Minister in the Presidency responsible for electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa together with Minister Maropene Ramokgopa and Mr Carlos Zacarias, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources in Mozambique at the Union Buildings, Pretoria.
The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Carlos Zacarias, announced the immediate availability of 100 MW of electricity to South Africa, a country experiencing a severe power supply deficit
The announcement was made this Monday in Pretoria after a request made on May 29 in Maputo by the South African government.
“The Mozambican government has available – immediately – 100 MW of energy produced through the Nacala Floating Power Plant [Karpowership], and the commercial agreement that will define the price, transport mechanisms and start of energy channelling should be closed very soon,” Mozambique’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Carlos Zacarias said.
Kgosientsho Ramokgoba, Minister of Electricity in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, expressed his gratitude, declaring himself “happy” with the Government of Mozambique’s swift response.
“We expected 80MW and today we received the promise of 100 MW, with technicians working to make operations viable,” Ramokgoba said, underlining that the energy would reduce the high costs of the current supply deficit to the South African economy.
At the meeting in Pretoria, Carlos Zacarias also announced that Mozambique would, within six months, have available a further 600 MW of energy from the Floating Power Station in Maputo and the Thermal Power Station in Ressano Garcia.
Mozambique, a country with a diverse energy matrix, is working to make energy viable through various ongoing projects, with an emphasis on the Temane Thermal Power Station (CTT), which will produce 450 MW from January, 2025, using natural gas from Pande and Temane in Inhambane.
This project will increase the installed capacity in 2024 to 975 MW. Taking into account the 260 MW increase in demand since 2014, Mozambique should have a surplus of around 700 MW after meeting the country’s internal needs.
The planned Mpanda Nkuwa Hydroelectric Project, situated downstream from Cahora Bassa, is expected to generate 1500 MW of electricity per annum, from 2030.
South Africa is the main buyer of electricity from the Cahora Bassa hydroelectric power plant, under an agreement in effect until 2029.
South Africa’s Cabinet approved Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s plan to import electricity from Mozambique to address the country’s power shortages.
The power purchase agreement between the two countries was discussed during a cabinet meeting. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced that Mozambique would initially provide 80MW of power, with the potential to increase to 1,000MW in the medium term.
The additional power supply would enable Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned power utility, to reduce load shedding by at least one stage, bringing relief to businesses and households.
The Cabinet also emphasized the importance of supporting the “Winter Demand Management” campaign initiated by the electricity minister, which aims to encourage electricity saving and alleviate strain on the national grid.
Currently, South Africa faces a significant electricity deficit of 6,000MW, leading to the implementation of up to Stage 6 rotational load shedding to prevent grid collapse.