Business / Economy
Boost for Alaska – Karoi power project
30 Jan 2017 at 13:29hrs | Views
The
Zimbabwe Government has received a grant from the African Development Fund (AFDB) to
finance the Alaska – Karoi Power Transmission Rehabilitation Project and
bidding for the project starts in March this year.
The
project includes the construction of an 85km long 132kV monopole line from
Alaska 330/132kV substation to Karoi town, a new 132/33kV substation equipped
with 2 x 20/30MVA transformers to be constructed in Karoi town, the
refurbishment of the downstream 33kV network as well as the extension of Alaska
330/132kV substation on the western side in order to incorporate a new line
bay.
In
a statement, AFDB said the principal objective of the project was to "strengthen and increase the country's sub-transmission network capacity
resulting in increased reliability and quality of electricity supply in and
around Karoi area and to develop a national, prioritized, long term network
master plan for the generation, transmission and distribution asset base".
Apart
from financial assistance, government is set to receive technical assistance
which involves the development of a Network Master plan for Zimbabwe
Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).
"It
also incorporates a capacity building subcomponent where ZETDC staff will be
trained on environmental and social issues associated with project
implementation," AFDB added.
Implementation
of the project is set to improve the living standards of people in the areas
dissected by the transmission line as the projects were identified by the local
community through a participatory process.
Zimbabwe
needs about 2200 megawatts of power during peak demands but the country
currently generates 1250 megawatts and imports about 300 megawatts of power
from Eskom South Africa as well other regional countries to cover demand.
Power shortage has been hampering development in agriculture and the manufacturing sector in the country and the Alaska-Karoi power project looks set to add voltage on to the national grid.
Power shortage has been hampering development in agriculture and the manufacturing sector in the country and the Alaska-Karoi power project looks set to add voltage on to the national grid.
Source - Byo24News
