Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The United Nations has given permission to Zambia and Zimbabwe to construct a $5 billion hydropower dam near Victoria Falls. The dam, called the Batoka Gorge project, will have a capacity of 2,400 megawatts and is located 47 kilometres away from the famous waterfall.
Environmentalists have expressed concerns about the project, as it may affect the natural beauty of Victoria Falls, which is a popular tourist attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, the authority overseeing the dam’s construction has stated that it has received clearance from the UN agency to proceed with the project. Munyaradzi Munodawafa, chief executive officer of the Zambezi River Authority, told Bloomberg in an interview that Unesco:
sent inspectors in 2022 after complaints by some environmentalists that the Batoka project was going to affect the Victoria Falls.
During a meeting of the World Heritage Committee, the inspectors reviewed reports and presentations related to the Batoka Gorge project. Munodawafa stated that the inspectors agreed that the project could proceed based on the information provided.
The construction of the Batoka Gorge project, which includes a high wall and power plants, was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and funding concerns. However, it is now set to proceed. The project is led by General Electric Co. and China’s Power Construction Corp. Both Zambia and Zimbabwe, who already share another hydropower facility called Kariba, have faced challenges in meeting their power needs. The African Development Bank is arranging financing for the project, which has been designed to minimize its impact on Victoria Falls.
However, tensions between Zambia and Zimbabwe still exist regarding the project. Zambia’s energy minister, Peter Kapala, announced in June plans to terminate the agreement with General Electric (GE) and Power Construction due to cost concerns and the possibility of a smaller plant being more suitable. Additionally, the rehabilitation of the plunge pool beneath the Kariba Dam, the largest man-made reservoir, is expected to be finished by early 2025. The African Development Bank (AfDB) is also providing advice for the Mphanda Nkuwa hydropower project in Mozambique, which has a cost of $4.5 billion and a capacity of 1,500 megawatts.
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