THE $533 million Kariba South Extension project is now 74,5% complete and the first unit is set to be commissioned in December, an official has said.
Source: Kariba South extension 74,5% complete – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 1, 2017
BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
Giving his presentation at the 48th Southern African Power Pool meeting in Bulawayo yesterday, the project’s manager, Edmond Mukahandira said the project was on course and would start power generation by December 24, 2017.
“In terms of the actual progress that we have made at site to date, I think we are now at 74,5%. In terms of the onsite and offshore works happening in China for the civil works that are happening at site we have progressed 87% now,” he said.
“For the offshore manufacture, which is equipment being manufactured in China, we have about 66% of the electrochemical equipment. The hydro chemical equipment, all of it has been delivered to the site and being installed and some of it being commissioned at the moment. In terms of the electrical equipment it’s now overall at 85%.”
Extension of the 750 megawatt power plant power station will add another 300MW to national grid, and is being undertaken to bridge the huge power deficit between demand and power supply in the country.
Two units that are being constructed would add 150MW each.
A total of 1 250 local and foreign workers are involved in the project, he said.
The overall project, which started in November 10, 2014 and anticipated to take 40 months, is scheduled for completion on March 10, 2018.
Chinese company, Sino Hydro, won the contract to construct the power station at an engineering, procurement and construction cost of $354 million, but other attended expenses such as consultants, equity contribution, interest and statutory costs of the will see total cost rising to $533 million.
Engineering and procurement cost claimed $354 million (funding secured from China Eximbank), while project development cost took $179 million (paid by Zimbabwe Power Company).
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