The construction of the Beluluane Thermal Power Plant, with capacity to generate 2000 Megawatts (MW) of energy per year, will not start in the middle of this year. This according to the electric portal, Carta, citing the project coordinator, Marco Morgado.

The source also said that in addition to the power plant, the start-up of the Beluluane Gas Company (BGC) project will also be delayed. The BGC is expected to import 200 million metric tons (MT) of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) per year for consumption and power generation for the country and the region.

"The construction work will not start this year. We had a slight delay. They will start in the middle of next year [2023], but that does not affect the forecast of starting operations in 2026," said the project coordinator, quoted by the portal.

The source justifies the postponement by the delay in making the final investment decision for the project, which should happen by the end of this year, while the signing of LNG supply contracts is completed.

"What contributed to the delay is the fact that we are finalizing the natural gas supply contracts. We have established contacts with some takers, there was some delay of the decision, but we are ready to start in 2026," the source said.

The forecast that the projects would start in the middle of this year were announced on November 28, 2019, during the signing, between natural gas infrastructure operator in the Southern African region, Gigajoule and French oil company Total of a joint development agreement for the annual import of 200 million MT of LNG for consumption and power generation from the Beluluane Thermal Power Plant in projection.