Cambambe Hydroelectric Power Station

Location

The power station is located across the Kwanza River in Cambambe, Angola, about 198 km by road southeast of Luanda, the capital and largest city in the country. The geographical coordinates of the power station are:09°45'12.0"S, 14°28'51.0"E (Latitude:-9.753333; Longitude:14.480833).

Overview

Construction of the Cambambe 1 Dam began on October 7, 1959, and was completed in 1963.{{cite web|date=30 June 2016 |url=http://www.macauhub.com.mo/en/2016/06/30/plant-ii-of-the-cambambe-dam-in-angola-goes-into-operation/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708105207/http://www.macauhub.com.mo/en/2016/06/30/plant-ii-of-the-cambambe-dam-in-angola-goes-into-operation/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 July 2016 |title=Plant II of the Cambambe dam in Angola goes into operation |publisher=Macauhub.com.mo | author=Macauhub |access-date=20 June 2020 |format=Archived from the original on 8 July 2016}} Due to wear and tear and lack of maintenance, by 2002, output had fallen from 180 megawatts to approximately 80 megawatts.

In April 2007, a consortium comprising Odebrecht, Voith, Alstom, and Engevix was hired by the Empresa Nacional de Electricidade to carry out the project of rehabilitation, expansion, and modernization of the dam and power station. The project includes the heightening of the structure by 30 meters, the modernization of the generating units of the Cambambe 1, replacing the four 45 MW turbines with four 65 MW turbines, and the construction of a new plant, called Cambambe 2, with four generating units of 175 MW each, for a total of 700 MW. The works in Cambambe 1 started in March 2009, and in Cambambe 2 in 2013.

Construction

In July 2015, it was anticipated that the first 175-megawatt turbine of Cambambe II would be installed and come online in June 2016, with completion expected in 2017.

Other upgrades included the construction of three new energy transformation substations with capacities of 400KV, 220KV, and 60KV to support the connection between Cambambe 1 and 2, Capanda Hydroelectric Power Station, and Laúca Hydroelectric Power Station. The renovation and upgrade of Cambambe 1 and the construction of Cambambe 2 cost an estimated US$2 billion.

The completed power station was commissioned on 27 July 2017, in front of 500 invited guests.

References

References

1. Patric Kiehlmann. (2010). "The expansion of the Cambambe Hydropower Plant in Africa". Voith.com.
2. "Road Distance Between Luanda, Angola and Cambambe Hydroelectric Power Station, Angola".
3. "Location of Cambambe Hydroelectric Power Station".
4. "Gruner AG".
5. Angola Press News Agency. (30 July 2015). "Cuanza Norte: Second Cambambe dam plant to start in June 2016". [[Angola Press News Agency]].
6. Water Power Magazine. (27 July 2017). "Cambambe 2 opens in Angola". Waterpowermagazine.com.