Maputo, Mozambique, 22 Feb – Mozambique’s rural electrification process is moving forward quickly in Sofala and Zambezia provinces, which should this year be totally covered by the national power network, the Maputo-based newspaper Noticias has reported.

At present, 14 of Zambezia province’s 16 districts count on energy from the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Dam, benefiting most of its 3.8 million inhabitants. In Sofala 11 of the 13 districts are covered, providing electric power to 14.2 percent of the more than 1.5 million residents.

The director of Mineral Resouces and Energy in Sofala, Julio Mahumane, said that his jurisdiction area and the neighbouring province of Zambezia are currently positioned in the programme’s vanguard.

Specifically for Sofala, Mahumane said that electric power from the national network would be connected by the end of the year in Maringue and Muanza districts.

“We are increasing rural electrification in Sofala province, although some consumer complaints have been recorded, basically due to the state of networks following system vandalism and technical conditions in which the problem often originates in the substation,” Mahumane added. (macauhub)