Name and Location
Kafue Gorge Lower (KGL) hydroelectric project, Zambia.
Client
State-owned power utility Zesco.
Project Description
At 750 MW, KGL will be the third-biggest hydropower station in Zambia when it is completed.
The proposed power plant will be located on a primary tributary of the Zambezi river on the left bank, in the southern Chikankata district, 17.3 km downstream of the Kafue Gorge Upper dam. The project includes the construction of a 140-m-high concrete-face rockfill dam and a surface powerhouse housing five 150 MW generator units.
KGL is Zambia's first major investment being funded through a public–private partnership model.
Value
The total cost of the project is estimated at $2-billion.
The project is being financed by the Zambian government and foreign financial institutions, including the Exim Bank of China.
Duration
Construction of the project started in November 2015 and is scheduled for commissioning in 2019.
Latest Developments
None stated.
Key Contracts and Suppliers
Sinohydro (engineering, procurement and construction contract).
On Budget and on Time?
Too early to state.
Contact Details for Project Information
Zesco, tel +260 211 361111, fax +260 211 222753 or email zesco@zesco.co.zm.
Sinohydro Africa, email africa@sinohydro.com.