Fundo de Energia, EP (FUNAE) and the Mphanda Nkuwa Hydroelectric Project Implementation Office (GMNK) recently signed a cooperation agreement with the aim of electrifying communities in the project area, located in Tete province. According to a press release, the agreement aims to boost local economic development and reduce disparities in access to energy.
Under the protocol, both entities undertake to implement mini-grids and residential and public solar systems in remote regions that are currently not connected to the national energy grid. The agreement includes the creation of energy micro-systems based on renewable sources to supply electricity to the affected communities.
As well as installing infrastructure, the protocol includes training local technicians to operate and maintain the systems, ensuring their long-term sustainability. The areas of coordination also cover access to funding, research and development, as well as appropriate policies and regulations.
Raising awareness and involving communities in the benefits of decentralized electrification are key aspects of the agreement, aimed at stimulating the active participation and support of local populations.
The protocol signing ceremony took place during the 9th Coordinating Council of the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, in Mossuril, Nampula province, in the presence of the chairperson of FUNAE’s board of directors, Isália Munguambe Dimene, and the general director of GMNK, Carlos Yum.
This protocol is a component of the GMNK’s Social Development Program (PDS), which aims to meet the urgent needs of the communities in the project area, improving human and social development indicators through interventions in the areas of energy, water, health and education.
To develop the PDS, a detailed analysis of the needs of the communities was carried out, assessing the socio-economic situation and the state of the existing infrastructure. This process involved more than 1,800 interviews with community members, focus groups with local leaders and interviews with government authorities and district services.
With an estimated cost of 283.5 billion meticais (4.5 billion dollars), the project includes the development of a dam, a hydroelectric power station with a capacity of up to 1500 megawatts and a 1300 km high voltage electricity transmission line. The project is scheduled for completion in 2031.
