Luanda:Officials from Angola and Namibia gathered in Luanda on Friday to finalize the operational frameworks and financing structures for the Baynes Binational Hydroelectric Project, moving the significant infrastructure venture closer to its construction phase.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the high-level meeting featured Angola's Minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges, and Namibia's Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, Modestus Amutse. They reviewed timelines and funding models for the dam, which is projected to cost 1.5 billion US dollars.
The hydroelectric facility is expected to generate 860 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enhancing energy security for both nations and fostering regional integration across Southern Africa. The dam is planned to be 200 meters high, with a roller-compacted concrete structure extending over a kilometer. It will include a reservoir covering 40 kilometers with a flooded area of 58.15 square kilometers at full capacity, and a power plant equipped with four 215 MW generation units.
Minister Borges explained that the 1.5 billion US dollars budget covers the main dam and downstream flow regulation to mitigate environmental impacts, excluding associated infrastructure like transmission lines and access roads, which will be developed separately by each country.
Minister Amutse highlighted that the governments have chosen a public implementation approach to ensure competitive and affordable end-user tariffs for this capital-intensive project. The initiative is supported by public electricity utilities from both countries, the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), and international partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), Swedish Fund, Korean Fund, and the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF).
In addition to the dam, officials emphasized the importance of complementary regional integration efforts, including the ANNA (Angola-Namibia) power grid interconnection project and the future Cahama substation. Both governments urged their teams to translate bilateral agreements into operational schedules, signaling a shift from the study phase to active construction.
