The Minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges, inaugurated this Wednesday the Bailundo municipal solar park in Huambo province, with an installed capacity of 7.8 megawatts.
Equipped with 15,600 solar panels, the infrastructure, built since 2023, will enable over 1,700 household connections.
The inauguration, attended by Huambo Governor Pereira Alfredo, was part of the 14th Advisory Council of the Ministry of Energy and Water, held from September 4 to 5 in this Central Plateau region.
On the occasion, Minister João Baptista Borges stated that Angola is today an example in Africa in leading the energy transition, thanks to the strategic vision of President João Lourenço, who, during his first term, set the goal of reaching 72% of energy production capacity from renewable sources.
He affirmed that this project represents another step in that direction, as the country now has 370 megawatts of solar energy in its energy mix.
The minister noted that Angola currently has 6.2 gigawatts of installed capacity, 66% of which comes from renewable sources, aiming to reach 72%. To achieve this goal, solar parks are also under construction in the East and South of the country, as well as in Laúca and Catete.
He recalled that until 2008, Huambo city had only a small power plant in Benfica, while today it has several infrastructures, resulting from the growth of the national electricity system, driven by significant investments that boost the economy and transform people’s lives.
Governor Pereira Alfredo stated that the solar park’s commissioning represents a victory for the people of Huambo, providing greater access to energy and better living conditions.
He emphasized that investing in renewable energy reinforces the government’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental preservation.
“We have overcome a first stage, and others will be surpassed with faith, resilience, and under the continuous guidance of President João Lourenço, as the best way to justify Angola’s growth is to show the work done,” he said.
The Bailundo community highlighted the importance of the investment, considering it a milestone for local development, as the park will boost the economy, create jobs, enhance security, and improve quality of life.
Previously, in May 2022, Bailundo saw the commissioning of a 20-megawatt electrical substation, connected to the national grid from the Laúca dam in Malanje, replacing the old 4.6 MW thermal plant that supplied only 1.6 MW to fewer than 10 neighborhoods alternately between 16:00 and 22:00.
Founded on July 16, 1902, by the Portuguese Teixeira da Silva, Bailundo was elevated to town status the same year by Decree-Law No. 54.
According to tradition, the locality’s name is associated with a brown mole with a white stripe on its forehead, which supposedly appeared to King Katyava during his enthronement.
Source: Angop
