The second 180-megawatt generator at the Kariba North Bank Extension Power Station was unveiled in Siavonga, Zambia, near Lake Kariba, on August 21st 2014.
The commissioning of this new generator, together with the first one unveiled last year, makes a total of 360 megawatts added to Zambia’s electricity grid from the Kariba Dam.
Vice-President Guy Scott pointed out that it will help reduce load shedding in the country while attending the ceremony.
The total cost for the 2 generators delivered by Sino Hydro was of USD 421.1 million, which was financed by the Export-Import Bank of China (Exim Bank) and the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
The facilities will be operated by Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (ZESCO).
Also attending the ceremony, ZESCO Board Chairperson Katema Mutale indicated that this was just the beginning of ZESCO’s expansion of their power generation portfolio as they plan to add more than 1,000 megawatts by 2019 through other projects across the country.
Zesco is a state owned power company that produces about 80% of the electricity consumed in Zambia and has a total generation capacity of 1841,75 megawatts.
Sino Hydro is a Chinese state owned hydropower construction company.
It had already built the first generator in the Kariba North Bank Extension Power Station as well as other projects on the Zimbabwean South Bank of Lake Kariba, which is also managed by the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA).
