The Minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges, was today, February 1st, in the province of Cuanza Norte, specifically at the Caculo Cabaça dam, to assess the progress of the works and preside over the meeting of the Project’s Steering and Monitoring Committee.
At the beginning of the visit, the minister, accompanied by sector technicians, conducted a detailed guided tour of the dam’s construction.
The Caculo Cabaça dam, standing 113 meters tall, will have a nominal capacity of 2,172 MW, distributed between two plants. The reservoir has a useful volume of 92.6 hm³, equipped with five groups and a hydraulic circuit with a nominal capacity of 1100 m³/s.
The project also includes two electrical substations of 400 kV and 220 kV associated with the main plant and the ecological plant, respectively. The project comprises three major components: the temporary river diversion, the main civil works, and the supply, installation, and commissioning of electromechanical equipment. The construction period is 80 months. This project is part of the country’s program to increase electricity production capacity.
It is worth noting that on May 20, 2023, the President of the Republic, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, initiated the symbolic river diversion.
In terms of the workforce, out of 2,598 workers, 84.26% are nationals and 15.74% are expatriates. Construction began in August 2017, with commercial production expected to start at the end of 2026.
After the visit, the Steering and Monitoring Committee meeting took place, where contractual, technical, financial, and payment issues were discussed. Present at the meeting, in addition to the main contractor CGGC, were subcontractors Voith and the Griner/Omatapalo consortium, the project inspectors, and other guests.
Finally, Minister João Baptista Borges emphasized the importance of strictly adhering to the construction schedule, highlighting the strategic importance of this project for the country, with energy generation expected to begin at the end of 2026. João Baptista Borges João Baptista Borges
