Zambia and Mozambique have recently inaugurated a floating thermal power plant in Nacala port in Mozambique’s northern coastal region, which is meant to deliver 100 MW of electricity to the north part of the east African country and Zambia through their national grids.
The floating thermal power plant, which was inaugurated by Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi and Zambian President Edgar Lungu during the latter’s recent three-day visit to Mozambique, consists on a ship compounded by fully integrated power plants for the delivery of electricity directly from its high-voltage substation to any transmission network.
The power plant’s inauguration is part of an energy agreement signed between both countries whose details have not been disclosed yet but which consists on a series of power plants’ development to raise power supply reliability in Mozambique and improve the interconnection between the east African country and Zambia’s national grids.
According to Mozambique’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Oldemiro Baloi, even though a date has not been yet set to start the development of the power plants, the first project will be the construction of a coal-fired power station in Tete province in Mozambique’s border region with Zambia.
The coming projects as the current floating thermal power plant are meant to be connected to Electricidade de Mozambique (EDM) national grid, which will be in charge of the transmission of power to the country’s northern region and Zambia’s national grid for the next two years, explained EDM Director Mateus Magala.
The floating thermal power plant is a pioneering project in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) and first of its kind in Mozambique, which will ensure greater stability of the transmission system since it is currently working under several restrictions due to both countries limited capacity, Mr. Magala added.
The floating thermal power plant is a new concept developed by Karadeniz Energy Group, a Turkey-based energy company involved with thermal and renewable energy sources, which is the first company in the world to develop, own and operate a fleet of powerships.
The MV Karadeniz Powership Irem Sultan with a capacity of 100 MW was the one selected by both countries to start improving their electricity needs and is part of a 9 powerships’ fleet with a combined power of 1,500 MW that is expected to reach the 6,500 MW by end of 2017 according to Karadeniz Energy Group.
