Zimbabwe Power to Add 900 Megawatts at Hwange and Kariba

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Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Johannesburg, South Africa)--The award of contracts for Zimbabwe Power Company's (ZPC) $1.3 billion expansion projects for the Hwange thermal power station and the Kariba hydropower plant is imminent according to local reports. Currently the country is suffering from chronic blackouts and load shedding.

The planned expansion at Hwange is 600 megawatts (MW) (2 x 300 MW) and 300 MW (2 x 150) for the Kariba South extension. Hwange is one of four thermal power stations operated by ZPC. There are small plants in Bulawayo, Munyati, and the capital Harare. Because of the low operating output from the four thermal stations, the Kariba power station has had to operate in base load mode for the majority of its output time. It was intended to be used as a peak load unit and for frequency control. Hwange has a current capacity of 740 MW, and Kariba has a current capacity of 740 MW.

The Hwange expansion will be constructed in an open area adjacent to the existing six units. At Kariba South the units will be housed in a separate underground powerhouse with new intake tunnels from Lake Kariba to utilize the water of the Zambezi River, said ZPC.

In April, ZPC shortlisted 11 bidders for the Hwange the expansion programs. Four of the six bidders for Hwange were Chinese companies, as were two of the five for Kariba South. More than 20 bidders expressed interest in the projects. Site visits have been made to the two sites by ZPC and the shortlisted bidders, which are expected to produce detailed bids by June for both projects.

Funding details, investment cost and technical ability to execute the projects will be required. After the award of the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contracts, work on the projects is scheduled to begin in 2013. Hwange will require an investment of about $900 million and Kariba $400 million.

Hatch Africa (Woodmead, South Africa) was appointed as project consultants covering total project execution and EPCC project review until the end of the warranty period.

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