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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter—
A COUNCIL of Ministers from Zimbabwe and Zambia meets in Victoria Falls today to discuss a range of development issues including the implementation of the 2,400MW Batoka Gorge power project and repair of the Kariba Dam wall. The meeting will be attended by ministers of energy, finance and attorneys general from the two neighbouring countries and the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA).
Zimbabwe and Zambia last month signed loan and grant facilities worth $294 million with different development partners for the rehabilitation of the Kariba Dam wall.
The European Union and Sweden have granted $100 million and $25 million for the project respectively while the World Bank has extended a $75 million loan with the African Development Bank chipping in with another $39 million.
AfDB also provided a grant of $36 million and ZRA will cater for the balance.
Head of ZRA Engineer Munyaradzi Munodawafa said in a statement the 32nd council of ministers meeting between Zambia and Zimbabwe would discuss bi-lateral issues covering developments along the Zambezi River, common to the two countries.
“This meeting will be preceded by an Inter-Governmental Committee of Officials meeting on March 19, 2015, (yesterday) and participants are drawn from the same ministries plus the electricity utility companies, namely ZESCO Limited in Zambia and Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“Among other bi-lateral issues the meeting is expected to discuss the ZRA 2015 budget, review the ZRA Acts of 1987, approval of appointment of external auditors for the next three years, the Zambezi Valley Development Fund Projects under the ZRA Corporate Social Responsibility as well as progress on the Batoka Hydro-Electric Scheme and the rehabilitation of the Kariba Dam.”
The Batoka Gorge project has been expanded to 2,400MW from the initial 1,600MW after a study showed that the Batoka Gorge Power Plant would produce more electricity than previously envisaged.
ZRA is mandated to harness and manage the Zambezi River waters between the two countries for socio-economic development and to maintain the Kariba Dam complex including any future dams or infrastructure on the river.
The rehabilitation of Kariba Dam wall will support the development strategy of the Southern African Power Pool, a framework established in 1995 to provide regional solutions to electricity generation and ease an electricity shortage for Sadc.
The two countries are expected to share the cost of construction, which is scheduled to last between six and nine years. Once completed, the Batoka Hydro scheme will leave Zambia and Zimbabwe as net exporters of power in the region after meeting local needs.
The project will also improve the generation mix in Zimbabwe, which is currently skewed in favour of fossil fuel (coal) fired plants, which are expensive and associated with greenhouse gases.
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