Kariba South expansion design approved

Published: 30 May 2014

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) says the design for Kariba South expansion has been approved and a hydrographic survey is being conducted by Sinohydro in Lake Kariba around the intakes.

With a capacity of 750MW, the project that is estimated to cost $500 million when complete, would result in the addition of 300MW of electricity.

A hydrographic survey is a scientific description and analysis of the physical conditions, boundaries, flow, and other characteristics of the earth's surface waters.

In a first quarter trading update, ZPC managing director Noah Gwariro said during the period under review, the power utility sent out 2150.33 GWh, 3.56 percent below the production target.

He said the target was missed due to challenges faced at the stations which include system disturbances, low availability of boiler plant at the small thermals, shortage of feed water at Harare Power Station as well as load control at Kariba Power Station.

"The basic design for Kariba expansion has been approved and a hydrographic survey (sediment study) is being conducted by Sinohydro in Lake Kariba around the intakes. Trial blasting to test the integrity of the rock is also in progress and so far we have successfully completed blasting on Adits 1 and 2 in the months of April and May 2014," said Gwariro.

Gwariro said in February, ZPC lost Hwange Power Station as a result of an earth fault resulting in the loss of station transformer 2.

He said: "We are however still waiting for the new transformer to be delivered so that it can be reinstalled at the station."

He said ZPC had established various strategies in order to improve plant efficiency at the stations including ensuring that there is adequate coal supply, as well as establishing plant performance monitoring and control methods.

"We have also put in place quality maintenance programmes to ensure that trips and tube leaks are reduced," Gwariro said.

"So far we seem to be on target, as our generation has increased over the past two months, although we have not yet reached our targets.

"Recently, Kariba Power Station got re-certified, and to further improve efficiency in our operations, ZPC head office is implementing the ISO 9001:2008 certification which is expected to be attained in the 3rd quarter of this year."

The tender for part of the local scope for the Deka project, Gwariro said, closed at the end of April and adjudication was in progress.

He said the final environmental impact assessment report on the Gairezi project had been received and submitted to the Environmental Management Agency.
- chronicle