KEY POINTS
- Mozambique’s gas plant shutdown cuts 250 MW, affecting power supply to southern Mozambique and regional export commitments.
- Zambia halts 300 MW imports from Mozambique, deepening its energy crisis and impacting its copper-reliant industrial sector.
- Protests tied to Mozambique’s election unrest endanger energy stability, with broader economic risks across interconnected southern African markets.
Mozambique’s electricity crisis deepened as political unrest stemming from contested October 9 elections forced the shutdown of two key natural gas power plants, slashing output by 250 megawatts.
This represents a third of the supply to southern Mozambique, including the capital, Maputo.
Unrest disrupts Mozambique’s gas supply
The facilities, Ressano Garcia and Gigawatt, rely on natural gas supplied by Johannesburg-based Sasol Ltd., which also fuels exports to neighboring countries.
The unrest, as reported by EnergyConnects, has left Mozambique grappling with its most severe energy disruption in years, underscoring the fragility of its energy infrastructure and the broader economic risks of political instability.
Zambia’s energy drought worsens amid import suspension
Zambia, already strained by a punishing drought that has sapped its hydroelectric reserves, halted imports of 300 MW of electricity from Mozambique following the indefinite shutdown of its supplier’s operations. State-owned Zesco Ltd. confirmed it has implemented emergency load management measures, cutting power availability to households and businesses.
As Africa’s second-largest copper producer, Zambia’s industrial base relies heavily on consistent energy supply. The suspension of Mozambican power imports exacerbates its existing crisis, with ripple effects threatening the economic stability of its mining sector.
Escalating violence jeopardizes regional power markets
The protests, led by opposition presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, have spiraled into a deadly crisis, claiming at least 90 lives. Clashes between demonstrators and security forces have left hundreds injured and thousands detained. Beyond targeting power plants, protesters have attacked key infrastructure, including courts, police stations and ruling party offices.
The prolonged unrest endangers Mozambique’s domestic energy security and its ability to meet export commitments. The implications stretch across southern Africa, where interconnected electricity markets depend on stable cross-border supply.
With no resolution in sight, Mozambique’s energy woes threaten to cascade into a broader regional power crisis, amplifying economic risks for countries already grappling with energy vulnerabilities.
