Last Thursday, during an event in Benguela, the Minister of Energy and Water unveiled important information about the Cunje Hydroelectric Power Plant located in Camacupa, Bié province. Despite being inactive for more than thirty years due to damage from the armed conflict, there are plans to restart its operations later this year. Minister João Baptista Borges highlighted its installed capacity of about one megawatt and expressed contentment with its relatively small size, recognizing its significant contribution to improving the national electricity generation infrastructure.
During the onset of the ministry’s 12th Consultative Council, themed “Energy and Water: Towards Expansion and Enhanced Service Quality,” the Minister addressed the obstacles faced by the sector. He conducted an extensive examination of the current state of companies under the ministry’s jurisdiction, highlighting “constraints and inefficiencies” that pose risks to sector stability. Minister Borges emphasized challenges within the National Electricity Distribution Company (ENDE), including the lack of a robust commercial management system and a notable deficit of meters, particularly among important clients.
Discussing challenges within the water sector, the Minister voiced concern about losses, especially in Luanda Province, where inefficiency is estimated to be around 30%. He highlighted the urgent need to modernize the management system, including the customer database. Minister Borges also urged Empresa Pública de Águas de Luanda (EPAL) to adopt a robust, fraud-resistant, and easily auditable metering system, endorsing tariff adjustments to tackle wastage caused by vandalism and illegal connections. With revenue challenges confronting companies in both the electricity and water sectors, the Minister encouraged managers to explore innovative solutions to tackle these ongoing issues. João Baptista Borges João Baptista Borges
