This morning, the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, challenged the managers of the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Company (HCB) to invest in the rehabilitation and modernization of the equipment so that it can continue to provide electricity to the southern African region and contribute to development..

Daniel Chapo was speaking at the opening of the International Conference on the 50th anniversary of Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB), held at the Joaquim Chissano Conference Center under the slogan "Yesterday, Today and the Future: A Strategic and Structuring Company for Mozambique and the Region".

In his opening speech, he emphasized the company's strategic role in the energy stability of Mozambique and southern Africa, challenging HCB's managers to increase electricity generation capacity while always paying attention to climate change and new markets.

"The 2,075 megawatts it produces are the same as they have been since 1975, so it is urgent to embark on the implementation of the rehabilitation and modernization plan," he said, pointing to the need to ensure greater reliability of the system.

The International Conference focuses on two areas of reflection: the role of hydroelectric plants in the development of countries and the challenges of managing them in the context of extreme climatic events.

In another development, Chapo warned of the effects of the severe drought affecting the Zambezi basin since the end of 2023, caused by the El Niño phenomenon, which has compromised hydroelectric power production.

On a national level, the President of the Republic reiterated the government's commitment to industrialization and job creation by increasing energy capacity.

He mentioned structuring projects underway, such as the Temane power station (450 MW), the Cuamba, Mocuba and Meteoro solar power stations, and the future Boroma, Lupata and Chemba hydroelectric schemes, as part of an energy diversification strategy.

Citing data from the Africa Energy Outlook 2024 report, he said that Mozambique could become responsible for 20% of Africa's energy production by 2040, with a projected capacity of up to 187 GW.

This will place the country among the world's top ten producers. "We want to make Mozambique the energy hub of the region," he said, challenging the participants to actively contribute to this goal.

The Head of State closed his speech with a call for active participation in the debates. "I would therefore like to invite all participants to get actively involved in today's discussions by asking questions, making comments and sharing ideas," he concluded, in a call for the collective construction of sustainable and resilient energy solutions for southern Africa.