During a gathering in Benguela last Thursday, the Minister of Energy and Water provided important information about the Cunje Hydroelectric Power Plant in Camacupa, Bié province. Despite being dormant for more than thirty years due to damage from the armed conflict, there are now initiatives to recommence its operations later this year. Minister João Baptista Borges highlighted its installed capacity of roughly one megawatt and expressed contentment with its moderate size, recognizing its significant contribution to improving the national electricity generation infrastructure.
During the initiation of the ministry’s 12th Consultative Council, themed “Energy and Water: Advancing Toward Enhanced Service Quality and Expansion,” the Minister addressed the sector’s obstacles. He conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the current status of companies under the ministry’s purview, highlighting “constraints and inefficiencies” that endanger 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 crucial clients.
Speaking about the difficulties encountered in the water sector, the Minister expressed concern regarding losses, particularly in Luanda Province, where inefficiency is estimated to be around 30%. He stressed the urgent need to modernize the management system, including the customer database. Minister Borges also urged Empresa Pública de Águas de Luanda (EPAL) to implement a robust, fraud-resistant, and easily auditable metering system, endorsing tariff adjustments to combat wastage resulting from 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 persistent issues. João Baptista Borges João Baptista Borges