As of 2005, Angola had 0.8 gigawatts (GW) of installed electric generating capacity. Angola generated 2.6 billion kilowatthours (Bkwh) in 2005, while consuming 1.7 Bkwh. Approximately 67 percent of generated electricity comes from hydroelectric plants and the remaining 33 percent from conventional thermal sources such as diesel generators. Less than 20 percent of Angola’s population has access to electric power, and blackouts occur frequently. The sector suffers from war-torn infrastructure that will continue to be a challenge to national reconstruction and development in the near future. Domestic heating and cooking needs are generally met through biomass in the form of fuel wood and charcoal.

The electricity sector is operated by the state utility, Empresa Nacional de Electricidade (ENE). Three separate electrical systems are used to supply electricity throughout Angola. The Northern System supplies the provinces of Luanda, Bengo, Kuanza-Norte, Malange and Kuanza-Sul. The Central System provides for the provinces of Benguela, Huambo and parts of Bie. The Southern System supplies to Huila and Namibe provinces. The government aims to link the systems there to create a national grid through the South Africa Power Pool (SAPP). Industry experts have suggested that Angola needs to ease state controls on electricity prices and offer incentives to attract private investment.

Hydroelectric facilities generate around two-thirds of Angola’s electricity. The Matala dam, which began operations in 2001 on the Cunene River, is the main source of electricity in southwest Angola. The Cambambe dam (180 MW) on the Kwanza River, the Mabubas dam (17.8 MW) on the Dande River, and diesel generators are the main sources of electricity in northern Angola. In northeastern Angola, Russian-based Alrosa Vneshtroy LDA is building the Chicapa hydroelectric dam (16 MW capacity) on the Tchicapa River, which is due to begin operations in March 2008.

Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction company, has partially completed the construction of a hydroelectric facility at Capanda on the Kwanza River. Work on the 520-MW plant began in the mid-1980s, but was suspended due to the civil war. The first of four planned hydraulic turbines began generating electricity (260 MW) in January 2004. Russian-based, Technopromexport, installed the second phase (260 MW) in mid-2007. In addition to second phase construction, new transmission lines are being built to carry power generated by the dam. The completed Capanda project will nearly double Angola’s electricity generating capacity.

The Angolan Government is planning to utilize national uranium deposits to develop a nuclear energy industry. This potential source of electricity is still in its planning phase. To date, there has been some discussion with the Chinese government regarding training and the construction of a nuclear plant in Angola but no progress has been made.