Fresh tender for Batoka power Project

STAFF WRITER

Zimbabwe and Zambia are preparing to issue a fresh tender for the construction of the Batoka Hydropower Plant on the Zambezi River, a critical initiative aimed at addressing the ongoing electricity shortages in both countries, a Cabinet minister has said.

The Batoka project, which will be managed by the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA)—a joint venture outfit between the governments of Zimbabwe and Zambia—will involve the development of a dam and two surface power stations.

The project is strategically located upstream of the Kariba Dam and downstream from Victoria Falls. Once completed, the Batoka plant is expected to generate a total of 2,400 megawatts (MW) of power, which will be shared equally between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The current project design includes the construction of a 181-meter high, 720-meter long compacted concrete gravity arch dam. The dam will feature a radial gated spillway and four intake structures, which will channel water through four tunnels, each approximately one kilometres in length. These tunnels will direct water to two surface power plants located downstream of the dam.

Speaking at the Zimbabwe-Zambia Energy Summit in  the resort city of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe’s Energy and Power Development Minister, Edgar Moyo, confirmed the latest development.

“The Batoka project will be retendered,” Moyo said adding that: “the new bids are expected to be selected by September of next year.”

This development follows the cancellation of a contract awarded in 2019 to General Electric and China’s Power Construction Corp.

Minister Moyo also disclosed that updates to the feasibility studies for the Batoka project are currently underway. Italian firm Studio Pietrangeli, which was awarded the feasibility study contract in 2014, has failed to deliver the updated studies as planned.

Business Times can report that the original feasibility studies for the Batoka Hydroelectric Scheme were conducted in 1993 by Batoka Joint Venture Consultants.

“There is ongoing work to update the feasibility studies for the project, considering various factors, including economic considerations and cost-benefit analysis,” Minister Moyo explained.

“The revised feasibility studies will reflect changes in construction costs, interest rates, and energy demand, which are essential for reassessing the financial viability of the project. This updated analysis is crucial for securing funding and investment commitments.”

The Batoka project aims to alleviate the energy crisis in both Zimbabwe and Zambia, with the potential to significantly improve the security of electricity supply in both nations, which are heavily reliant on the Kariba Dam. Reduced output from Kariba—due to persistent droughts and low water levels—has led to frequent power outages in both countries, with blackouts lasting 18 to 21 hours in some areas.

While Zambia’s installed power generation capacity of 3,457 MW exceeds peak demand (2,300 MW), the country faces a shortfall of nearly 1,300 MW due to the dominance of hydroelectric power, which constitutes 83% of total generation. Droughts have severely affected hydro plants such as Kafue Gorge and Itezhi-Tezhi, reducing their output.

Similarly, Zimbabwe’s power generation capacity has been sharply reduced. The country can currently generate around 1,000 MW out of its total installed capacity of 1,700 MW, primarily from the Hwange Power Station (1,520 MW) and the Kariba South Power Station (1,050 MW). In response to the crisis, Zimbabwe has suspended operations at its smaller thermal plants—Bulawayo, Munyati, and Harare—due to aging infrastructure and escalating operational costs.

The ongoing power shortages have had a detrimental impact on Zimbabwe’s economy, disrupting industrial and commercial activity, driving up costs for businesses that are increasingly turning to expensive alternatives such as fuel-powered generators, and leaving households without reliable access to electricity.

The challenges facing the Kariba Dam, which has been severely impacted by the prolonged effects of droughts—including last year’s El Niño-induced drought—have further exacerbated the region’s energy crisis. The rising temperatures, which increase evaporation rates in the dam’s reservoir, have further compromised its capacity to generate power.

The completion of the Batoka Hydropower Plant will play a pivotal role in improving the energy security of both Zimbabwe and Zambia, ensuring a more reliable and sustainable power supply for the region.