Angola Receives Loan to Modernise Hydroelectric Dam

The Angolan Government has signed an agreement with several foreign financiers, including French banking group BNP Paribas, for a $100m loan to renovate and modernise the Cambambe Hydroelectric Power Station.

The loan covers 25% of the total cost required to upgrade the dam.

According to Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction company involved in the project, work for the second phase includes opening up tunnels for the construction of a machine room to house four generator groups, each with a capacity of 175MW.

A sum of $400m is required for the construction of a second production plant, water intakes, penstocks and finishes, to be completed in 2014.

The third phase of the project includes raising the dam wall from 102m to 132m to make better use of water from the Kwanza River.

The project is expected to increase electricity supplies to Luanda and the municipal areas of Kwanza Norte province.