via Batoka power plant expanded by 800 MW – New Zimbabwe 22/02/2015
PLANS for a hydro-electric power plant between Zambia and Zimbabwe have been expanded to 2,400 from 1,600 megawatts (MW), an industry official said on Sunday.
A recent study showed that the Batoka Gorge power plant would produce more electricity than previously envisaged, according to Munyaradzi Munodawafa, chief executive of the company in charge of the project, the Zambezi River Authority.
“We are looking, at most, that it is going to produce 2400 MW. This is an improvement from previous studies which were talking about 1600 MW,” Munodawafa told Reuters.
The completion of the project, which will involve the construction of a dam and a hydro power plant on the Zambezi River, is expected to ease an electricity shortage in the two countries and southern Africa.
Munodawafa said a feasibility study was almost complete and a report would be ready by May after which an environmental impact assessment study would be done by June.
“After we have done that we will start looking for developers,” Munodawafa said.
It is expected that the plant will be built and operated by a private company for a period of years before ownership is transferred to the two states, he said.
The cost, previously estimated at $2.5 billion, would be known in May after the feasibility study, Munodawafa said. (Reporting by Chris Mfula; editing by Jason Neely)
COMMENTS
There have been many large scale power related infrastructure plans by the Government of Zimbabwe over the years.
Lupane coal-bed methane, Sengwa coal mine, Batoka gorge, Kariba south, Hwange expansion … etc.
None have yet been brought to production.
The reason – corruption, greed, short-sightedness, lack of political will — all symptoms of failure of the state to address the needs of the nation.
Batoka Gorge dam site and power station were researched in the 1980’s. So far nothing.
Thats how it is here – all useful proposals and development plans end up in the bin when they reach the highest levels of political decision making – because we have a totally useless government.