TINASHE MAKICHI
The Zambezi River Authority is confident of meeting the 2025 deadline to complete the US$294.2m Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project, Business Times can report.
Initially, the Authority had set May 2021 deadline for the completion of the plunge pool reshaping and spillway gates refurbishment project. The plunge pool reshaping works contract is being implemented by Razel Bec of France while the spillway refurbishment works are being implemented by a consortium of GE Hydro France with Freyssinet International.
However, the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic and unforeseen geology affecting the foundations for the required coffer dam impacted on the planned timelines.
“The plunge pool reshaping works contract commenced in May 2017 and the target completion date is 2025. The spillway refurbishment works contract commenced in September 2019 and the target completion date is 2025,” CEO Munyaradzi Munodawafa told Business Times.
“Once completed, the project will benefit the downstream communities in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, through safer management of the Kariba dam flood releases, thereby avoiding risks of unregulated release of water which could flood the downstream flood plains and result in loss of lives and property.”
Munodawafa said the communities will also continue to benefit from levies on the sale of water for generation of electricity through the Zambezi Valley Development Fund which was set up to support socio economic projects in the riparian communities.
The region would benefit from the reliable flow of power generated and the project is being funded by various financiers.
Of the US$294.2m Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project budget, US$275m is being funded by grants and loans made available to the Zambian government by the World Bank, the European Union, the government of Sweden and the African Development Bank. The Authority has contributed the remaining US$19.2m as counterpart funding.
The project seeks an enhancement of the long-term safety and reliability of the Kariba Dam for the benefit of the economies of both Zambia and Zimbabwe through the continued generation of electricity.
Munodawafa said the negative economic effects could have accrued to Zimbabwe and Zambia if the “implementation plans of the rehabilitation works required a reduction of power generation to effectively carry out the works”.
