Mozambique Transmission Company

Mozambique Transmission Company (MOTRACO) is a joint venture formed by three state-owned electric utilities, namely, Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM), South Africa’s Eskom and Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC). 

Established as a PPP to improve interconnection among the three countries, Motraco’s primary purpose is to operate and maintain transmission networks. The company’s infrastructure supplies electricity to the Mozal aluminium smelter in Maputo, Mozambique, and to EDM and EEC for further distribution to industries and customers in Mozambique and Eswatini.

The company’s primary activities are:

• Sale and purchase of electricity
• Management of transmission infrastructure
• Development of cross-border telecommunications networks

The company purchases electricity from Eskom and sells it at cost, including wheeling charges, to the Mozal aluminium smelter in Mozambique. In these transactions, Motraco acts as an agent and charges commission. 

Motraco’s main source of revenue is from the provision of energy transportation services over its power infrastructure. To support its activities, the company has two 400-kV substations coupled with 132-kV and 400-kV transmission lines. Overall, Motraco’s transmission network extends over more than 565 kilometres.

The company also engages in the development of a fibre optic cable network that runs along its transmission lines. The network satisfies Motraco’s requirements for communications and for maintaining control of its transmission network, and is leased to telecommunications providers to carry cross-border traffic.