Status Operational Height 58 m Construction began 1969 | Purpose Power, flood control Opened 1975 Catchment area 4,667 km² Impound Cunene River | |
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Opening date 1975; 42 years ago (1975) Type of dam Embankment, earth and rock-fill Similar Cunene River, Zongo Dam, Ngondoma Dam, Keddara Dam, Osborne Dam | ||
The Gove Dam is an embankment dam on the Kunene River about 75 km (47 mi) south of Huambo in Huambo Province, Angola. The purpose of the dam is to control floods and generate hydroelectric power. It has a power generating capacity of 60 megawatts (80,000 hp) each) (three turbines of 20 megawatts (27,000 hp) each), enough to power over 30,000 homes.
Contents
Map of Gove Dam, Angola
History
The Gove Dam cost US$279 million and was built by Brazilian construction group Odebrecht. It was formally inaugurated in August 2012 by the Angolan President. The dam produces power for the cities of Caála, Huambo, and Kuito.
Construction of the dam began in 1969 and it was completed in 1975. Construction of the power station was halted twice, from 1975 to 1983 due to the civil war, then again from 1986 to 2001 also due to fighting. The dam was partially destroyed by dynamite in 1990. Along with the power station, sub-stations at Caála, Dango, and Benfica (in Huambo) were inaugurated at the time of completion. The sub-stations and distribution network cost US$80 million.