Zambia and Zimbabwe bilateral organisation the Zambezi River Authority says the Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project (KDRP) is about 94% complete and remains on course for completion by the end of the fourth quarter of the year.

The only work remaining is the spillway refurbishment project, which will restore and improve the reliability, safety and functionality of the Kariba dam’s spillway system.

Over the six decades of the existence of the Kariba dam, natural processes, like concrete expansion and ageing owing to alkali aggregate reaction, affected the six sluice gates by making them more difficult to open and close smoothly. The refurbishment was, therefore, intended to restore their full operability and reliability.

Phase 1 of the spillway refurbishment works, which started in May 2019, is about 99% complete.

The works are being done by hydropower company GE Hydro France in association with civil engineering company Freyssinet International, and entails the rehabilitation of the upstream control system for all the six sluice gates, the authority says.

These works include hydro-demolition, concrete repairs, installation of built-in-parts and the rewatering and commissioning of rehabilitated sluices.

The remaining works include the commissioning of the gantry crane and site demobilisation.

Phase 2 of the spillway refurbishment works, which started in August 2024, is about 70% complete and is expected to be fully completed by September.

The works are being undertaken by the Morris and Stub Engineers joint venture.

The activities for all the six sluice gates include the design and manufacture of a new hoisting system, the installation of the new hoisting system and the execution of gate maintenance works, the Zambezi River Authority says.

The design, manufacturing and site delivery of all six hoisting systems were completed in 2025, while site works started in December 2025.

Currently, the hoisting system installations for sluices 1, 2, 5 and 6 are in progress.

Once completed, the project will enhance the sustainable management of the Kariba Reservoir and support reliable hydropower generation, which is one of the key drivers of socioeconomic development in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The rehabilitation project is critical to safeguard the long-term safety and operational efficiency of the Kariba dam, the authority says.

The project has three main components, including plunge pool reshaping, which was successfully completed and commissioned in September 2024, and institutional strengthening, which focuses on enhancing dam safety monitoring, technical capacity and governance systems within the authority.

The third component is the refurbishment of the spillway, scheduled for completion before the end of this year.

The project is critical to mitigate the risk of uncontrolled water releases that could result in downstream flooding, infrastructure damage and loss of life, the authority says.

The project also includes the development of an early warning system meant to improve communication with downstream communities during scheduled and emergency water releases from the Kariba Reservoir.

The $294-million project is funded by the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the EU and Sweden, while Zambia and Zimbabwe provide counterpart funding.