Mozambique Backbone Transmission System Project

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The Backbone project consists in a double transmission line from the Tete Province in Centre Mozambique to the capital Maputo in Southern Mozambique and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) interconnected power network. It will transport the electricity generated in new hydro power plants from Mphanda Nkuwa (1 500 MW) and Cahora Bassa (North Bank, 1 245 MW) to the markets. It will comprise of a 400kV HVAC (High voltage alternative) line and a 800 kV HVDC (High voltage direct) line to supply the major consumption zones within Mozambique and link with the South African market. Government of Mozambique has already identified potential financiers for the project, namely: World Bank, as a probable lead partner, NORAD (Norway), SIDA (Swedish International Development Agency), AfDB (African Development Bank), EIB (European Investment Bank), DBSA (Development Bank of South Africa), AFD (France Development Agency), and KFW (Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau). The proposed grant has been used by Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) to finance a comprehensive Strategic Regional Environmental and Social Assessment (SRESA) in the framework of the Mozambique Backbone Transmission project (STE). The Final Report was delivered in June 2012, but the official presentation took place in 2014.

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