LIVINGSTONE, Zambia (PAMACC) - The African Development Bank (AfDB) has pledged support to the Batoka Energy Project being spearheaded by Zambia and Zimbabwean governments.
The 2,400-MW Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Scheme (BGHES)is being constructed by the Zambezi River Authority, an organization equitably owned by the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe, to develop, operate, monitor and maintain hydropower projects along the Zambezi River shared by the two Southern African countries.
The scheme will comprise the construction of 181m high arch gravity roller compacted concrete dam as well as, two surface power stations located on either banks with an installed capacity of 1,200 Mega Watts each.
According to Zambia’s Minister of Energy, David Mabumba, the project will be one of the least cost generation projects in the region. “Preliminary indications suggest that the Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme will havea unit generation cost of 3.6US Cents per kwh compared to the average regional tariffs of8.25US$c/Kwh,”Mabumba said in his remarks to delegates.
The Bank’s Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth Sector Complex, Amadou Hott, reaffirmed AfDB’s support to BGHES and its role as the lead financier of the project. “The Bank has been working together with Zambia and Zimbabwe on major energy projects such as the transformative Itezhi Power Generation and Transmission Project, and rehabilitation of power infrastructure in Zimbabwe, among others. The Batoka Scheme is in line with the objectives of AfDB’s New Deal on Energy for Africa.”
Hott explained that the target for the New Deal for universal access to energy by 2025 requires the implementation of transformative regional projects such as Batoka.
The Investor conference which was held under the theme: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme–Harnessing SustainablePower Generation Potential of the mighty Zambezi river, on 30th and 31stMarch 2017 was also attended by Zambia’s Vice President, Inonge Wina and four ministers from Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The conference was aimed at according stakeholders an opportunity discussed progress and financial support to the scheme, whose estimated cost is about US$3.63 billion.
The governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe have appointed the Bank as Lead Coordinator for the project, to be implemented in partnership with other development partners.
Hott also held separate meetings with Ministers of Finance, Energy, Water and Sanitation and Mines, to discuss the progress made on the proposed Energy Sector budget support to Zambia, the way forward on the Batoka project and to update the Government of Zambia on the implementation of the New Deal on Energy.
He disclosed that the bank is set to approve, by July this year, up to $ 250 million requested by the Zambian government to address the country’s energy crisis.
Hott further held meetings with representatives of the power utility company in Zambia, ZESCO, and the Industrial Development Corporation of Zambia, the Zambezi River Authority and Copperbelt Energy Corporation.
Africa constitutes only about 16 percent of the global population, but 53 percent of the global population is without access to electricity. Per capita consumption of energy in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa) is 180 kWh, compared to 13,000 kWh in the United States and 6,500 kWh in Europe.
Over 700 million Africans do not have access to clean cooking energy, and 600,000 African women and children die annually due to indoor air pollution arising from use of carbon-based fuels such as charcoal for cooking.
The African Development Bank is implementing the New Deal on Energy for Africa, to Light up and power Africa, with the aspirational objective of achieving universal access to energy by 2025. The Bank will invest US$ 12 billion in the power sector over the next five years and aims to leverage US$ 45-50 billion from the private sector.
