Mozal Wants To Use Power Generated In Mozambique
Maputo, 7 Jan (AIM) – The Mozal aluminium smelter, on the outskirts of Maputo, intends to start using power produced by Mozambique’s publicly owned electricity company, EDM, replacing power from the South African state company Eskom.
The current power supply contract between Mozal and Eskom ends in 2026.
Mozal, for its operation, needs 950 Megawatts (MW) to produce over 560,000 tonnes of aluminium per year. In the near future, however, Mozal intends to produce 600,000 tonnes per year, as a result of several new investments.
Mozal’s position comes at a time when South Africa is struggling with a serious energy crisis, and Eskom has a net loss of 12.3 billion rand (over 698 million dollars, at the current exchange rate), according to official figures made public last December.
South Africa “urgently” needs 4,000 to 6,000 MW of additional capacity for its own power grid, with total power demand currently around 25,000 MW, according to official data.
“The aluminium smelter company is looking for alternative electricity supply for the coming years”, said Marcelino Gildo, the Chairperson of EDM’s Board of Directors, quoted in Monday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Notícias.”
According to Gildo, Mozal itself has made an approach to find an alternative power supply after 2026.
“The two parties have been discussing the best alternatives, and the viability of a project like Mphanda Nkuwa, for example, requires consumers with muscle to pay the bills arising from the use of energy”, he said. (The Mphanda Nkuwa dam is to be built on the Zambezi River, about 60 kilometres downstream from the existing dam at Cahora Bassa.)
Currently, Mozambique has an installed capacity of 2400 MW and could reach 2800 MW with the conclusion of the Temane power plant, in the southern province of Inhambane.
With the energy that will be generated from Mphanda Nkuwa, the country will produce 4300 MW.
(AIM)
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