Zimbabwe and Zambia, through the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), have revived the Batoka Gorge Hydropower Project, a 2,400-megawatt facility planned downstream of Victoria Falls, which remains one of their most ambitious initiatives.
First proposed in 1992, the site, about 54 kilometres below the falls, was identified for its hydroelectric potential.
Backed by early feasibility studies from the World Bank, the project was meant to boost power supply for Zimbabwe and Zambia and reduce regional energy shortages.
However, progress stalled due to strained international relations, environmental concerns, and a lack of funding.
The project was dormant until 2012, when renewed interest led to a 2014 memorandum of understanding between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The African Development Bank supported updated studies, and in 2019, General Electric (GE) of the United States and Power Construction Corporation of China were awarded the contract under a build-operate-transfer model.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic, questions over procurement transparency, and Zambia’s 2023 withdrawal from the deal further derailed progress.
ZRA is now intensifying efforts to attract new investors to the Batoka Gorge project.
ZRA Chief Executive Officer Munyaradzi Munodawafa confirmed that a dedicated project team has been established to spearhead the resource mobilisation campaign. He said:
The ZRA has formed a team that will court investors in the proposed 2,400-megawatt facility. This facility will be located near the World Heritage Site, Victoria Falls.
He said the resource mobilisation drive is expected to run for the next 12 to 18 months, depending on investor interest, market conditions, and ongoing political backing from both Zimbabwean and Zambian governments.
Zambia and Zimbabwe have also set a September 2025 deadline to pick new bidders, following the cancellation of the 2019 deal.
More: Business Times
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