By the end of the first half of 2024, Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB) had recorded hydro-energy production of around 8,396.38 GWh.

This is 3.44% more than planned for this period.

"This first-half production represents an increase of 4.77% compared to the same period in 2023," the company said in a statement.

According to HCB, the figures achieved are the result of careful management of the project, coupled with the continuous commitment of the work teams to the programs to reinforce the operation and maintenance of the equipment in the production chain.

With regard to water availability, at the end of the first half of the year, on June 30, 2024, the dam had a level of 316.98 meters, corresponding to 59.2% of the reservoir's useful storage. This level of storage is significantly low for this period and is influenced by low inflows due to the El Niño phenomenon characterized by below-normal rainfall in the region.

In this context, in June HCB began implementing a cautious hydro-energy management plan for the reservoir and related infrastructures in order to balance production needs against water availability so as to minimize the negative deviation from planned annual production.

"HCB's energy production is very important and indispensable for the energy stability of the country and the region, so the company will continue to monitor the long-term weather forecasts, the evolution of the hydro-climatological situation in the Zambezi Basin and the updates of the operating plans for the upstream dams, so that it can make operational adjustments to Cahora Bassa in good time," said the Chairman of the Board of Directors of HCB, Tomás Matola, quoted in the statement.