Matala Hydroelectric Power Station
Hydroelectric power station in Angola
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The power station lies on the banks of the Kunene River, in the town of Matala, in Huíla Province, in southwestern Angola. Matala is located approximately 175 kilometres (109 mi), by road, east of the city of Lubango, the provincial capital. This is approximately 985 kilometres (612 mi), by road, southeast of the city of Luanda, the capital of Angola.
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History
In 1954, Matala Dam was commissioned with a dual purpose of providing water for irrigation to the region and supplying electricity to southwestern Angola. The original installed capacity of 39 megawatts was never achieved, but subsequent repairs in 2001, 2011 and 2016 have attempted to achieve generation capacity of at least 40 megawatts.
Specifications
The Matala dam has a weir measuring in excess of 700 metres (2,297 ft), in length. Other components of the complex include an inlet, an outlet, movable gates, electrical mechanical hardware, powerlines and switching gear. The dam creates a reservoir with a mean surface area of 41 square kilometres (10,000 acres), with storage capacity of 60,000,000 cubic metres (2.118880003×109 cu ft).
Repairs and refurbishment
Established in 1954, the dam has been repaired in 2001 and 2011. In 2011, Empresa Publica de Producao de Electricidade (PRODEL), the owner of the power station hired SNC Lavalin Inc., a Canadian enterprise to "improve the facility’s safety and its water storage capacity" at a contract price of US$249.6 million. The repairs were carried out in phases.