Companhia de Transmissão de Moçambique (MOTRACO) - a strategic partnership between the national electricity companies of Mozambique (EDM), South Africa (Eskom) and Eswatini (EEC) - held a grand, illuminated and proud celebration on October 27, 2023, in Maputo City during the company's 25th Anniversary Gala.
The celebration brought together dignitaries representing the governments of Mozambique, ESwatini and South Africa, employees, partners, clients and guests who were able to interact, socialize and reflect on the company's journey and challenges over its 25 years of existence.
The realization of the MOTRACO project was due to the vision and strategic partnership between the governments of the three countries, the financial support of European, African and Japanese international development banks, namely the EIB, AFD and JBIC, as well as the commitment and dedication of its shareholders and specialists involved in the structuring and construction of the international infrastructure.
To carry out the project, the Mozambican government awarded MOTRACO a concession to supply 950 MW to Mozal, as well as to transport electricity to EDM, EEC and the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP).
A key note in the various speeches made during the event was the strategic importance of the project in the development of Mozambique's national energy transmission network, making it possible to speed up the interconnection of Mozambique's electricity grid and strengthen regional energy trade at SADC/SAPP level.
Through two 400 kV high-voltage transmission lines, MOTRACO guarantees a continuous and uninterrupted supply of high-quality electricity, and its implementation has allowed the Mozal mega-project in Beluluane, Maputo Province, to materialize, making Mozambique one of the largest exporters of aluminium to the world market.
MOTRACO is the second post-independence regional power supply project linking Mozambique to the SADC/SAPP region, following the completion in 1998 of the Songo-Bindura line linking Mozambique to Zimbabwe.
The planned integration of the MOTRACO and STE transmission infrastructures will mark another step towards the completion of the backbone of the national electricity transmission network, ensuring the arrival in Maputo from 2024 of the energy to be produced in Temane - Inhambane Province - and later of the hydroelectric energy to be generated in Mpanda Nkwa, reinforcing redundancy in the system, improving the quality of supply and increasing energy exchanges at SAPP level.
As part of its Social Responsibility and Investment Program, MOTRACO handed over a Casa Mãe-Espera to the local community of Porto Henrique - District of Namaacha. The facilities offered will contribute to improving the well-being and health of the local population and will make it possible to shorten the distance traveled by pregnant mothers to give birth and drastically reduce complications during childbirth. In addition, in order to ensure greater comfort, motivation and performance for students, MOTRACO provided 60 school desks and boards for the Mavoco Primary School - Boane District - located near the Maputo 400 kV/275 kV/132 kV substation.
MOTRACO's General Manager - Adérito Sousa - said at the event that the business model adopted by MOTRACO is a regional and international benchmark in terms of investment, operation and maintenance of electricity transmission systems and fiber optic data transmission.
In addition, he advocated that the constructive dialogue and strategic alliance between the national electricity companies, as well as between the business community and the state, should continue and be strengthened so that more structuring projects can be implemented for the benefit of the national economy and with a social impact.
