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EU injects US$120m towards Kariba Dam rehab
13 Oct 2023 at 01:32hrs | Views
The European Union (EU) has allocated €113 million (approximately US$120 million) to support the restoration of Kariba Dam, as part of the Global Gateway initiative aimed at enhancing the country's electricity generation capacity.
This announcement was made during a site visit to the project attended by EU ambassadors to Zimbabwe and Zambia, Jobst von Kirtman and Karolina Stasiak, respectively, along with Energy Minister Edgar Moyo, his Zambian counterpart Peter Chibwe Kapala, and other delegates.
Kariba Dam is jointly owned by Zimbabwe and Zambia, and both countries generate electricity under the management of the Zambezi River Authority.
Von Kirtman stated that the rehabilitation of Kariba Dam is a crucial aspect of the EU's initiative, aimed at addressing global challenges in a sustainable manner. He highlighted that the dam's rehabilitation could potentially contribute to over 50% of Zimbabwe's total electricity production.
The partnership for the rehabilitation project involves the EU, the Zambezi River Authority, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Swedish International Development and Co-operation, and both Zambia and Zimbabwe. This initiative represents an investment in the future of both nations.
Zimbabwe currently operates a 1,050-megawatt hydroelectric power plant on Lake Kariba. In the past, the two countries faced a crisis due to a significant drop in water levels in Lake Kariba, leading to severe power shortages on both sides of the Zambezi River.
The EU emphasized that rehabilitating Kariba Dam is essential, as a potential dam collapse could have catastrophic consequences, affecting millions of people and causing a significant economic impact.
This announcement was made during a site visit to the project attended by EU ambassadors to Zimbabwe and Zambia, Jobst von Kirtman and Karolina Stasiak, respectively, along with Energy Minister Edgar Moyo, his Zambian counterpart Peter Chibwe Kapala, and other delegates.
Kariba Dam is jointly owned by Zimbabwe and Zambia, and both countries generate electricity under the management of the Zambezi River Authority.
The partnership for the rehabilitation project involves the EU, the Zambezi River Authority, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Swedish International Development and Co-operation, and both Zambia and Zimbabwe. This initiative represents an investment in the future of both nations.
Zimbabwe currently operates a 1,050-megawatt hydroelectric power plant on Lake Kariba. In the past, the two countries faced a crisis due to a significant drop in water levels in Lake Kariba, leading to severe power shortages on both sides of the Zambezi River.
The EU emphasized that rehabilitating Kariba Dam is essential, as a potential dam collapse could have catastrophic consequences, affecting millions of people and causing a significant economic impact.
Source - newsday
