Zambezi River Authority - 2400 MW Batoka Hydroelectric Power Plant
Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), a joint venture of the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe is planning to undertake the construction of a 2,400MW hydroelectric power plant on Zambezi River approximately 54 km downstream of the Victoria Falls. The project site is located across the boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Annual energy (P50) production will be 10,215 GWh/y. The generated electricity will be shared equally between Zimbabwe and Zambia, with excess fed into the regional grid.
The electricity generated will be transmitted to Zambia through one double-circuit and one single-circuit 330kV overhead transmission line, and to Zimbabwe through one double-circuit and one-circuit 400kV overhead transmission line.
The project will provide a reliable source of power for Zambia and Zimbabwe's domestic demand and will contribute significantly to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
The US$5,000 million project includes the following:
1. Construction of 720m long, 181m height RCC Gravity Arch dam
2. Construction of spillway with 12 radial gates of 13m tall and 14m wide
3. Construction of two surface power plants, one each on the North Bank and South Bank of the Zambezi River
4. Construction of 4.2km water tunnel
5. Construction of a 508,000km2 reservoir
6. Construction of access roads
7. Construction of administrative and housing facilities
8. Installation of six 200MW hydroelectric turbines
9. Installation of two 1.2GW power plants
9. Laying of 330kV transmission lines
10. Laying of 55km long, 330kV double-circuit transmission line
11. Laying of 170km-long single-circuit 330kV line
12. Laying of two 230km and 330kV, single circuit overhead transmission lines
Second Section
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02 September 2024
The bid submission is due in April 2025.
26 March 2024
The main contract tender has been issued, and bid submissions are expected to be in April 2025.
06 March 2024
Optimization studies have been completed on the project and construction works are expected to commence from Q1 2025.
22 January 2024
The pre-feasibility studies are progressing on the project.
29 October 2023
The client has received approval from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) for the development of the project.
04 August 2023
The main contract has been terminated.
01 December 2022
Zambezi River Authority is looking for financial support to start the construction on the project.
01 September 2022
Zambezi River Authority is looking for financial support to start the construction on the project.
01 June 2022
We have not been able to obtain further updates on this project. We have retained the same project stage and amended the key dates accordingly. We will update the profile as soon as we obtain any new information.
27 December 2021
Zambezi River Authority is seeking a firm for the provision of technical advisory consultancy services.
28 July 2021
Feasibility studies and pre-development works are progressing steadily.
31 March 2021
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was completed and the finalization of preparatory activities for the implementation is expected to completed in 2021.
14 December 2020
ZRA is in discussion with the consortium of General Electric and PowerChina to agree on key project legal and financial issues to sign a concession agreement. However, additional geotechnical investigations are underway and the construction works are expected to commence in June 2021 after the mobilization of the required resources by the consortium.
22 October 2020
Additional geotechnical investigations and mobilization of funding are underway.
09 May 2020
The project was revived.
20 March 2020
Feasibility studies and the mobilization of project financing were put on hold due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
19 June 2019
General Electric and Power Construction Corporation of China was awarded US$4000 million DBOT contract.
20 February 2019
ZRA shortlisted three bidders.
10 December 2018
Project has been changed from Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model.
04 April 2018
Feasibility study activities are underway.
05 March 2018
MEWZ and MEPZ have commenced the preliminary financing arrangements.
01 October 2017
MEWZ and MEPZ have commenced the preliminary financing arrangements.
01 May 2017
Feasibility study activities are underway
01 October 2016
Feasibility study activities are underway
26 September 2016
AfDB has been appointed as a lead financial adviser for the project.
01 July 2016
Final stages of feasibility studies are underway.
01 January 2016
Feasibility studies on the project are underway.
01 November 2015
Feasibility studies on the project are underway.
01 August 2015
Feasibility studies on the project are underway.
01 April 2015
Feasibility studies on the project are underway.
01 January 2015
Government is undertaking the feasibility study to know the viability of the project.
01 November 2014
Project is in early development stage.
01 June 2014
Project is in early development stage.
01 May 2014
Project was revived by the Zimbabwe and Zambia government.
01 March 2014
The governments of Zimbabwe and Zambia canceled the tender and stalled the proposed project due to funding issues.
01 April 2013
The government of Zambia, ordered to prepare a revised environmental impact assessment study before the actual construction begins.
01 February 2013
Six companies shortlisted out of 25 companies for the construction of the project.
13 December 2012
Zambezi River Authority invited bids for the construction of the project with submission deadline as February 08, 2013.
17 February 2012
Zambia and Zimbabwe governments signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly develop the project.
17 November 2011
Zimbabwean government agreed to pay off the debt it owes Zambia.
22 January 2010
Batoka power project revived.
25 December 2006
Batoka Hydro Project stalled.
01 January 1992
MEWZ and MEPZ announced plans to develop the Batoka Hydroelectric Power Plant project.