Angola’s newest electronic meter production plant kick-starts operations

Angola

Frederico W.L. Pinnock Makilanda, chairman and CEO of Hengye Electronics Indústria, talks to The Energy Year about the company’s new meter factory and the Angolan government’s plan to provide electricity and water meters. Hengye Electronics Indústria has built a first-of-its-kind water and energy meter production plant at the Luanda-Bengo Special Economic Zone (ZEE).

What are the latest developments in the water and power sectors in Angola?
We’ve achieved great success in our plan to increase our power generation sources, as seen with the expansion of the Laúca hydropower plant and the upcoming Caculo Cabaça dam. This success has given Angola a great capacity for power generation. Currently, we are producing an estimated 5.88 GW, which leaves us with the task of rationalising the electricity grid’s operative system. Great water projects such as Quilonga and Bita will enable Luanda to respond to the needs presented. At the moment, we are better served in terms of water and energy compared to 2017. The government’s strategy has indeed borne fruits so far. The government aims to diversify the economy. The aim is to diversify from oil and gas into different sectors.

How competitive is the electricity and water meter supply business in the country?
We are waiting for the sector to open up and for private players to be able to buy and install meters independently. The only companies that can buy electricity meters are public electricity companies. Private companies can also buy meters, but they will have to liaise with utility companies so the meters can be registered in the system. You need to prepay to have access to electricity or water.
Furthermore, there is progress, as the Ministry of Energy and Water recently launched an international tender to procure electricity meters that we are also participating in. The government has a significant plan for local production. We have a similar law in the power sector to that of the local content regulation in the oil and gas industry.

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