Matala Hydroelectric Power Station

The Matala Power Station is a hydroelectric power station across the Kunene River, in Angola, that has installed generation capacity of 40 MW. The power station came online in 1954.

Location
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 km, by road, east of the city of Lubango, the provincial capital. This is approximately 985 km, by road, southeast of the city of Luanda, the capital of Angola. The geographical coordinates of Matala Hydroelectric Power Station are 14°44'38.0"S, 15°02'31.0"E (Latitude:-14.743889; Longitude:15.041944).

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 m, 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 km², with storage capacity of 60000000 m³.

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.