Over 50% of the total electricity demand is originating from the capital area Maputo and the surrounding southern part of the country, while only around 20%2) of the population is living in this area. Hydropower represents the lion’s share of the installed capacity mix at 79%, followed by natural gas at 16%.
The optimal power system expansion plan if wind and solar capacity are allowed to triple to reach almost 3 GW by 2032. Currently, the power system of Mozambique is separated into two transmission networks isolated from one another: the Central-Northern and Southern systems. Over 50% of the annual power demand is seen in the Southern system.
The country’s biggest power plant, Cahora Bassa hydro plant, has an installed capacity of 2,075 MW. Currently, over 75% of the electricity generated from the hydropower plant is exported to South Africa. The remaining capacity, around 1,300 MW, is utilised to meet local electricity demand in Mozambique.
It also plans for 900 MW of baseload gas projects to be built from 2022 to 2032, including the 450 MW Temane gas power plant expected for delivery in 2024. Since Mozambique has high hydro power potential, the country is focusing on developing large hydro projects that aim to be operational at the beginning of 2030’s.
In addition to the planned generation capacity that is likely to be commissioned by 2024, the modelling results indicate that Mozambique will need 1.5 GW of new base load gas projects and 230 MW of new flexible gas projects from 2025 to 2032.
With this strategy, Mozambique will also avoid locking the systems in for decades to come with large baseload plants, and benefit from a more distributed power system.