Viability studies for the construction of the US$59 million Zimbabwe- Zambia-Botswana-Namibia (ZIZABONA) power project have advanced with the project planned for completion in 2019.
Zesco representative Henry Kapata said in a media interview recently that the viability studies on the ZIZABONA project are being run by the southern Africa power pool project unit.
Mr. Kapata said the project entails the construction of a 10 kilometers stretch of 330 kilovolts transmission line from Victoria Falls to Mukuni region in Livingstone and a 101km of 330 kV transmission line from Hwange substation in Zimbabwe to Victoria Falls town in Zimbabwe.
He said another 330 kV transmission line will be put up on a stretch of 200 km from Mukuni region to Sesheke district.
Also read: SEFA supports Off-Grid rooftop solar project in Zimbabwe
Mr. Kapata said another 330 kv transmission line will be put up from Victoria Falls to Pandamatenga substation in Botswana.
“The ZIZABONA project is destined to improve reliable power trade in the area. The project is also destined to make stronger security of supply and meet the growing demand for electricity in the area,” Mr. Kapata said.
Mr. Kapata said numerous power transmission projects are in the pipe line such as the 330 kV transmission line from Pensulo in Serenje to Mansa and the Kabwe-Pensulo-Serenje 330 kV transmission line.
Others are the Kariba lake shore bottom road electrification project, Chipata-Lundazi-Chama 132 kV transmission line and Mungwi Northern Province electrification project. He said the upgrading of power supply in Mpika district is also on cards while the link of Luangwa district to the national grid is at this time 50 percent.
Mr. Kapata also indicated that the Lusaka Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) transmission project is presently 60 percent done.
The name ZIZABONA was gotten by taking the first two letters of the following country names: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia.
It is a 400/330kV Interconnector line predicted to ascertain the necessary infrastructure to interconnect the countries named above. The project will allow the wheeling of power north south or vice versa via the Caprivi Link.
Extract from constructionreviewonline.com