The acceptance tests for the power plant were successfully completed on 10 December 2015. Financing for the $200m (R3bn) project was secured in June 2014, construction started in August 2014 and first testing commenced in November.
The power is produced by 13 Rolls Royce engines and ABB generators. Each set weighs 140 tons and produces 9,300kW. The turnkey contract was executed by a consortium of WBHO and PB Power with TSK (Spain) as the main sub-contractor. During construction as many as 600 jobs were created with 70% locally recruited.
Gigawatt Mozambique will supply the power to EDM (the Mozambican power utility) under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), for use in Mozambique and for on selling into the regional grid. Natural gas is delivered by the Matola Gas Company, (MGC) who is currently providing gas to more than 30 industries and three temporary gas-fired power stations in Mozambique.
The plant will generate electricity to the equivalent of 250,000 households and will make a substantial contribution to the Mozambican power supply capacity.
Johan de Vos, MD of Gigawatt, congratulated the construction team, advisors and the owner's team on the exceptional achievement in completing the plant within schedule, under budget and without any serious injury. "This proves that projects of this complexity can be successfully, structured, funded and completed in Southern Africa conforming to international best practice," he said.
Castigo Langa, chairman of Gigawatt, stressed the benefit of adding value to Mozambican natural gas, creating much needed jobs, attracting direct investment and making a substantial contribution to the Mozambican economy. He expressed the hope that the new gas discoveries in the north of Mozambique can be used domestically to achieve the same benefits for Mozambique.
