Luena - The 26.9-megawatt photovoltaic plant, designed to increase the installed electricity capacity in Luena city, eastern Moxico province, will begin testing in the first week of April, ANGOP learnt on Monday.
Under construction on an area of 52 hectares, in the Samalesso neighbourhood, east of Luena, by the American companies Sun Africa and MCA Angola and Portugal, the project is nearing completion.
According to the director of the Provincial Office of Infrastructure and Technical Services, Honório Sacuparica, the process of interconnecting the medium-voltage line is currently underway, allowing it to be connected to the "Luena3" and "Vatsila" thermal power stations, and is expected to be finished in the first week of April.
With the interconnection of the power stations, he said, it will be possible to quickly and efficiently compensate for the lack of electricity in areas with a deficit.
"During this period, restrictions will be made progressively, for some hours of the day, so we appeal for rational use and for everyone's patience and collaboration," he said.
The solar park is part of a programme to build seven solar photovoltaic plants in the provinces of Benguela, Moxico, Lunda-Sul, Lunda-Norte, Bié, Huambo and Namibe.
The infrastructure was due to be completed this month. The park will have 43,000 solar panels, with an installed capacity of around 26.9 MW and the capacity to serve 171,000 inhabitants.
At the moment, Luena is mainly supported by thermal power stations, with an installed capacity of 27.5 MW, in addition to the 6.5 MW of the 12 produced at the Chiumbe hydro-electric plant, installed in the municipality of Dala, in the province of Lunda-Sul, but still insufficient to meet the demand of the city, which is home to more than 460,000 people. TC/YD/DAN/DOJ
