Following a recent visit, Angola’s energy minister, João Baptista Borges said that the first units of the country’s 750 MW Soyo CCGT would start on schedule this year. He said the power would serve the six municipalities of Angola’s Zaire province, as well as interconnecting with the national electricity system - replacing diesel generators and helping balance hydro power flows.
The lead contractor for the scheme is China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC). The 750MW project represents the first of two phases, with the second CCGT of 500MW currently undergoing business development under AE Energia.
Mr Borges said that “the pace in the project is perfectly in line with the work schedule agreed upon with the contractors… We have a gas turbine capable of delivering 125 megawatts mounted, tested and ready to start operation," he said.
He said the second turbine will be ready to start in June this year, while the remaining two gas turbines will be installed to start operating next year. The two steam turbines that comprise the Combined Cycle will start to be installed in the coming months.
The plant is due to be supplied with gas from the Angola LNG gas hub, and Mr Borges said construction of the gas pipeline was underway, under the responsibility of state oil and gas company, Sonangol.
"This Soyo Combined Cycle plant will use natural gas to produce electricity," he said, adding that "for this reason it is also designed to compensate for possible hydrological irregularities in the Lauca and Cambambe dams in northern Malange and Cuanza Norte provinces, " he stated.
"I am fully convinced that with the completion of the plant, which I consider to be of extreme importance for the national electricity system, the energy framework will be better," he said.
At present, about 40% of Angola’s power is derived from diesel generators. Mr Borges said this was expensive and polluting, and further conversion to gas is planned.