NDAMU SANDU
The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) is in the process of prequalifying developers and financiers for the construction of the $3,6 billion Batoka George Hydroelectric scheme.
Zimbabwe, which has had stable electricity supplies for more than a year, currently produces 1284 megawatts against a daily peak demand of 2300 megawatts. The country relies on imports from South Africa and Mozambique.
The power scheme is one of the priority projects under the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), a strategic continental initiative which has the buy-in of all African countries, for mobilising resources to transform Africa through modern
infrastructure.
Giving an update of the power project recently at the PIDA Week in Victoria Falls, ZRA chief executive officer Munyaradzi Munodawafa said preparatory studies are ongoing and expected to be completed by July next year.
“The authority is in a process of prequalifying developers and financiers in parallel with the completion of the studies,” Munodawafa said.
He said the lead arranger for financial mobilisation, the African Development Bank (AfDB), was actively involved in mobilisation of over $10 million project preparation funds and is providing technical support to the authority.
Every three years, AfDB allocates $1 billion for regional operations or operations located in one country but with a regional impact.
Mamady Souare, manager in the bank’s Regional Integration division said AfDB has provided capacity building for Zimbabwe and Zambia governments and is organising roundtable meetings with other donors to fund the project.
ZRA is a bilateral organisation owned 50:50 by Zimbabwe and Zambia and was established in 1987 to operate the Kariba Dam and to manage the Zambezi water resources.
The Batoka project will generate 1600MW to be shared equally by the two countries. The project, which has been on the cards for years, is expected to plug the power deficits in the two countries and reduce the import bill.
In the period January to June, Zimbabwe imported electricity worth $111 million.
