Maputo, July 15, 2024 (Lusa) - Production at Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB) in central Mozambique increased by almost 5% in the first half of the year, compared to the same period in 2023, to 8,396.38 GWh it said on Monday.
HCB recognised, however, the low level of storage.
"Production in the first half of the year represents an increase of 4.77 % compared to the same period in 2023, a figure achieved largely due to the cautious management of the project, coupled with the continuous commitment of the work teams to the programmes to reinforce the operation and maintenance of the production chain equipment," it said in a statement.
It added that on 30 June 2024, the Cahora Bassa dam had a level of 316.98 metres, corresponding to 59.2% of the reservoir's useful storage. Electricity production had exceeded what was planned for the first half of the year by 3.44%.
"This level of storage, significantly low for this period, is influenced by low inflows due to the 'El Nino' phenomenon characterised by below normal rainfall over the region. In this context, in June, HCB began implementing a cautious hydro-energy management plan for the reservoir and related infrastructure to balance production needs against water availability to minimise the negative deviation from planned annual production," the company explained.
Quoted in the statement, the chairman of HCB's board of directors, Tomás Matola, emphasised that HCB's "energy production is very important and indispensable for the energy stability of the country and the region".
"For this reason, the company will continue to monitor the long-term weather forecasts, the evolution of the hydro-climatological situation in the Zambezi Basin and the updates to the operating plans for the upstream dams so that it can make operational adjustments to Cahora Bassa in good time," he added.
Since the Mozambican state's reversion to Mozambique, agreed with Portugal in 2007, the Mozambican state holds 90% of HCB's share capital, while the Portuguese company Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN) has a share of 7.5% and Eletricidade de Moçambique 2.5%.
The Cahora Bassa reservoir is the fourth largest in Africa, with a maximum length of 270 kilometres and 30 kilometres between banks, occupying 2,700 square kilometres and an average depth of 26 metres.
At the end of 2022, HCB had 780 employees and recorded profits of 9,207 million meticais (135 million euros), up 9.3% compared with 2021.
PVJ/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
