Andritz secures Mozambique hydropower plant restoration contract

Andritz has secured a contract for the refurbishment of Mozambique’s principal hydropower facility, Cahora Bassa, operated by Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB).

The project will boost the plant’s efficiency and increase its generating capacity by more than 4%.

Since commencing operations in 1975, the 2,075MW Cahora Bassa plant on the Zambezi River has been supplying more than half of Mozambique’s electricity, while playing a pivotal role in exporting energy to surrounding nations.

The HCBs’ revamp initiative, known as HCB’s REABSUL II, is set to enhance efficiency, reliability, availability and maintainability at Cahora Bassa, increasing turbine capacity to 433MW per unit.

Under this contract scope, Andritz will deliver five advanced 480 megavolt-amperes (MVA) generators alongside new Francis turbine runners. Additionally included are control and protection systems and essential hydromechanical structures.

Andritz’s contractual scope encompasses design, engineering, manufacturing and supply of high-performance equipment, followed by installation, testing and commissioning on-site.

After three years of preparatory work, which will involve the design and manufacture of new equipment as well as the development of site infrastructure, the generating units at Cahora Bassa will be replaced.

This process will be carried out while maintaining the stable and continuous operation of the remaining units. This will necessitate careful coordination with the concurrent rehabilitation of the Songo converter substation, which will be managed by HCB.