Cambambe:Caculo Cabaça The first turbine at the Caculo Cabaça Hydroelectric Power Plant in Cambambe, Cuanza-Norte Province, is set to commence operations in June 2027, as announced by Minister of Energy and Water João Baptista Borges.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the turbine is one of four units at the facility, which is designed to generate a total capacity of 2,172 megawatts. The minister revealed that the other three turbines are scheduled to begin operations at three-month intervals following the first. The project, which began construction in 2015, includes an underground power station and two tailrace tunnels extending over five kilometers.
Excavation work for tunnels reaching depths of more than 50 meters has been completed, and current efforts are focused on installing the powerhouse structures for the turbines. The project also features a fifth ecological power station aimed at wildlife preservation. Minister Borges noted that the project has created approximately 7,000 jobs, mostly for young local residents, highlighting its social impact.
The Caculo Cabaça Hydroelectric Power Plant is expected to significantly impact the national economy by meeting over 50% of the country's electricity needs upon completion. Strategies are being developed to connect the power station with various national electricity complexes, with future plans to export power to neighboring countries within the Southern African Development Community.
Minister of State for Economic Coordination José de Lima Massano led a delegation, including diplomats from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Namibia, to assess the project's regional importance and its potential benefits to the SADC region. The facility, located along the Kwanza River, features a dam standing 116 meters high and is considered a major energy sector project for the country.
