Name and Location
Zizabona power-line project, Southern Africa.

Project Description
The Zizabona project will entail the construction of a power line, which will allow for an extra 600 MW to be transmitted around the region and boost the amount of power generated in coming years.

About 91 km of the 330-kV line will extend from the Hwange substation to a switching station near Victoria Falls, in Zimbabwe, and into Livingstone, Zambia. A further 14-km 330-kV line will be constructed from the switching station to the Zimbabwe-Zambia border.

The line will also link Pandamatenga, in Botswana, and the Zambezi substation, in Namibia. The existing Muzuma Victoria Falls power station 220-kV line will be rerouted into and out of the Livingstone substation.

Four regional utilities will develop, build and own the transmission infrastructure, which is expected to reduce losses and congestion on the Southern African Power Pool central corridor and serve the national electricity needs of all four member countries, as well as allow for the export of power and energy trades with one another through a regional power pool. The project will also provide easier transmission of hydropower from the Democratic Republic of Congo to South Africa and the rest of the region, and ease congestion on the transmission corridor to South Africa, the region's largest consumer of electricity, which is struggling to meet demand.

Value
The estimated cost is $225-million.

Duration
The project is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2010.

Client
A joint initiative between Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa), Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (Zesco), Namibia Power Corporation (Nampower) and Botswana Power Company (BPC).

Latest Developments
Nampower has issued a request for proposals to undertake an environmental-impact assessment study.

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
BPC, tel +267 360 3203 or fax +267 397 3563.
Nampower special projects GM Reiner Jagau, tel +264 61 205 2287, fax +264 61 232805 or
email Reiner.Jagau@nampower.com.na.
Zesa, tel +263 4 774508 31, fax +263 4 774541 3 or email pr@zesa.net.
Zesco, tel +260 1 228084 or mchisela@zesco.co.zm.