The Japanese International Cooperation Agency in Mozambique (JICA) recently paid a working visit to the site of the future Mphanda Nkuwa dam in Tete province.

The visit aims to better understand the stage of the Mphanda Nkuwa project, particularly the environmental and social aspects of the project's impact, as well as the processes of interaction with communities, local and provincial authorities.

Following this visit, JICA held a meeting with the Mphanda Nkuwa Hydroelectric Project Implementation Office (GMNK) in Maputo, where it was also given a detailed update on the progress and structuring of the project.

Among various issues discussed at the meeting, the GMNK requested technical assistance from JICA for institutional capacity building and the development of a Technical Capacity Building Master Plan for Mozambican staff in the sector, in coordination with Electricidade de Moçambique and Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa.

The plan aims to respond to the investments and infrastructures provided for in the Electricity Infrastructure Master Plan 2018-2043 and the technical capacity to operate and maintain electricity infrastructures in line with the new technologies and associated tools.

Projects like Mphanda Nkuwa will need institutional technical capacity and human resources capable of operating high-tech infrastructure and complying with environmental, social and HST certification requirements.

In this way, it will be possible to ensure the increase in infrastructure resulting from the investments and reflect the improvement in the availability and quality of energy in the country.