In a statement, to which VerAngola had access, the authority informs that the agreement was signed last Saturday (2 December), "on the sidelines of the Conference of the Parties on Climate Change - COP28, taking place at Expo City Dubai, between João Baptista Borges, Minister of Energy and Water of Angola and the CEO of Masdar, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi".
Thus, according to the note, the UAE company will develop "a project for the construction of a solar park with 150 MW of electricity in the south" of the country, specifically in the municipality of Quipungo, in Huíla.
In terms of jobs, the project is expected to create approximately 600 direct jobs. "The project will create up to 600 direct jobs and provide clean electrical energy to 90,000 homes in the region with significant electricity supply challenges", the statement reads.
According to the authority, the aforementioned project will "significantly support the country's objective" of increasing the "national electrification rate to more than 50 percent by 2027".
"This is a contract that falls within the scope of the agreement we signed previously, in which we also signed another for the development of projects and now we are signing a concession contract for the construction of a 150 MW solar park in southern Angola more precisely in the Municipality of Quipungo", stated the holder of the Energy and Water portfolio.
According to the minister, the note adds, the aforementioned project "is a private investment" and will have "a solar capacity" that will allow not only to satisfy the region where it is located (more precisely the province of Huíla), but will also allow "to drain capacity to Namibe".
João Baptista Borges also considered that in this southern region of Angola there is "a significant shortage of energy supply", with thermal energy still being used: "In this southern region of the country there is a significant shortage of energy supply and where we still use thermal energy, so it will also be the replacement of thermal energy for clean energy", he said, quoted in the statement.
The official also explained that the UAE company will supply energy to the public grid and private consumers and "supply will be ensured by the public grid and governed by an energy purchase contract that will be signed shortly between the National Transport Network (RNT) and the Park Operator".
According to the guardianship, the contract now initialed concerns a concession of 25 to 30 years, "which allows the park to function during this time, to be operated in such a way that the investor has the right to the land where he will occupy with the assembly of the park", reads the statement.
