Zambia, Zimbabwe progress on Batoka

ZAMBIA and Zimbabwean have made progress in the development of the 2,400 megawatt Batoka Gorge hydro-electric power scheme.

Minister of Energy Mathew Nkhuwa said a developer would soon be selected to start the long awaited project.

Mr Nkhuwa told an extra-ordinary meeting of the Zambezi River Authority Council of Ministers in Lusaka yesterday three developers had expressed interest to develop the scheme on a build-operate-and-transfer (BOT) basis.

e Council of Ministers between December 2018 and February 2019 adopted the BOT mode for realising the Batoka George Hydro-Electric

Scheme.

Mr Nkhuwa said the interested parties were Salini Impregilo of Italy, joint venture between China ree Georges Corporation (CTG), China International and China and Water Electric Corporation (CWE) and China Gezhouba Group Company Limited. Others were Consortium of Power Construction Corporation of China Limited and General Electric (GE).

Mr Nkhuwa said there was no doubt that the two sister countries would conclude the selection of the developer before the end of the last quarter of this year in order to pave way for the negotiations with the developer regarding the details and mechanisms for the actual development of the project infrastructure.

“ e timely conclusion of the negotiations with the developer to be chosen remains the critical path for the actual commencement of the construction works for the project in 2020,” he said.

And Zimbabwean Minister of Energy and Power Development Fortune Chasi said the e orts by the two countries on the said project, was enough proof to ensure that the Batoka George power project was realised.

Mr Chasi said the adoption of the BOT mode meant that there was an increased likelihood of realising of the project.