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Three shortlisted for $294m Kariba spillway rehabilitation

25 May, 2018 - 07:05 0 Views
Three shortlisted for $294m Kariba spillway rehabilitation

eBusiness Weekly

Business Writer
The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has shortlisted three prequalified companies for a $294-million rehabilitation of Kariba Dam spillway to secure safe and controlled release of water from the reservoir.

Those shortlisted are China Gezhouba Group, CMC/ATA Kariba Joint Venture and GE Hydro France ahead of the final adjudication to be held soon to select the winner.

Sources told Business Weekly that the ongoing procurement process for the spillway rehabilitation is expected to be completed in time for the works contract to be awarded by the last quarter of the year.

The Kariba Dam is critical to the region’s energy security, but also doubles up with other economic contributions including tourism and fishery.

Kariba Dam an energy security

In terms of energy, Zimbabwe has 1050 megawatts of its hydro power entirely dependent on the dam’s south bank while Zambia has installed capacity for 1080MW on the north bank of the Kariba Dam.

Zimbabwe recently completed the 300MW extension of its Kariba South power station, from previous capacity of 750MW, at a cost of $533 million.

At a time the lake’s water levels had dropped to critical levels due to droughts in its catchment areas, Zimbabwe uses it to generate power to meet peak period demand.

During off peak periods, Harare scales down generation from Kariba to preserve water, which is rationed by ZRA. While the lake’s water levels had in the last two years fallen; to as low as 20 percent, it has recovered to nearly 60 percent, lifting hopes in Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Spillway rehab financing

Kariba Dam’s spillway rehabilitation is being jointly funded by the World Bank, African Development Bank and the Government of Sweden.

The World Bank committed to provide $75 million, African Development Bank ($75 million), EU ($100 million), Swedish government ($20 million) and ZRA will provide the balance towards the project.

The financiers are funding the project at the request of the Government of Zimbabwe and Zambia, which jointly manage the dam and the Zambezi River.

Rationale for the rehab

ZRA chief executive Munyaradzi Munodawafa said the rehabilitation of the spillway for the world’s biggest man-made dam would restore Kariba Dam’s full operability to guarantee energy security for Southern Africa.

“The spillway rehabilitation will ensure the continued safe, controlled release of water from the reservoir when this is required. It will restore the Kariba Dam to full operability and ensure its continued contribution to energy security, poverty alleviation in Southern Africa,” he said.

The rehabilitation programme also entails reshaping of the plunge pool downstream of the dam wall. French contracting firm Razel-Bec landed a contract to rehabilitate the Kariba Dam plunge pool at a cost of $50 million. This programme is currently being implemented.

The plunge pool required urgent attention as the force of the plunging water when the lake was full, burrowed into the underside of the dam wall foundation, weakening the structure and creating risk of collapse.

Such a collapse and the resultant flood would seriously affect economies, people, property and livestock along the river.

Kariba Dam’s spillway consists of six gates on the upper part of the dam wall, through which the dam can release water into the river course when full.

This entails renewal of the stop-beam guides and replacement of secondary concrete, design, fabrication and installation of an emergency gate.

The rehabilitation programme is scheduled to be completed by 2025.

The Kariba Dam is a double curvature concrete arch dam in the Kariba Gorge of the Zambezi river basin between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The dam stands 128 metres (420 ft) tall and 579 metres (1,900 ft) long.

The dam forms Lake Kariba which extends for 280 kilometres (170 miles) and holds 185 cubic kilometres (150,000,000 acre?ft) of water.

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