The challenge

The Angolan government has been working for more than a decade on an ambitious energy development plan to strengthen the country's power generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure.
The Laúca hydroelectric power plant, with a capacity of 2.1 GW, is one of the pillars of this plan. However, for years a lack of funding prevented this important generation point from being connected to Luanda, the country's capital and main urban centre, home to more than 2.5 million inhabitants.

In 2018, the Angolan government made it a strategic priority to find a technical and financial solution that would make this connection possible, guaranteeing a stable and sustainable supply to the metropolitan region of Luanda.

DOMINION's +

DOMINION took the lead on the Lauca-Bita project, one of the most important electricity transmission infrastructures in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Our comprehensive approach ranged from structuring the financing to the design, implementation, commissioning and subsequent operation of the infrastructure, managing each phase of the project with our own teams and international partners.

Key milestones included:

• The construction of a 253 km transmission line and two additional lines to reinforce the national electricity grid.
• The expansion of the Laúca substation and the installation of state-of-the-art equipment for more efficient grid control.
• The implementation of 24 capacitor banks in 13 substations in the Luanda metropolitan region, improving the stability of supply.
• Logistics management of more than 570 containers from 7 countries, with more than 12,000 tonnes of materials.
• The construction of 621 towers, some up to 73 metres high, and the laying of more than 2,000 kilometres of cable.
• The completion of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) and their mitigation plans, meeting the demanding standards of the IFC (International Finance Corporation).

This large-scale project was not only a technical and logistical challenge, but also a financial one, as it required an international financing structure to ensure its viability and execution on schedule.

Results

The Laúca-Bita project has transformed Angola's electricity system, connecting the country's main hydroelectric power plant to the capital and ensuring the supply of clean and stable energy to more than 2 million people.
Thanks to this infrastructure, the country improves its energy security, reduces its dependence on fossil fuels and strengthens its national electricity grid, laying the foundations for more sustainable economic growth.

This project is a clear example of DOMINION's ability to manage end-to-end projects of high technical, financial and logistical complexity, driving energy transformation in Africa and contributing to the