The tunnelling work to divert the Cuanza River to drive the 2,172-megawatt Caculo Cabaça Hydropower Plant in northwestern Angola is 90 percent done, Angop reports.

The Angolan state-run news agency quotes Caculo Cabaça Hydropower Plant Director Augusto Chico as saying the access tunnel is 55 percent dug.

Mr Chico said the contractor in charge, state-owned China Gezhouba Group Co. Ltd, has completed 3.47 per cent of the work on the dam.

The report says the work began in 2017 and is due to finish in 2024.

China and Germany are paying the US$5.19 billion cost of the hydroelectric plant and the associated electricity transmission network, Angop says.