)
have to some extent been developed for hydropower generation.
Hydroelectric schemes have been constructed in Mozambique, Malawi,
Zimbabwe and Zambia. There is, however, still a substantial potential in the river basin that
appears feasible for
development.By far the largest hydropower scheme in the Zambezi is the Cahora
Bassa (south bank) hydropower station in Mozambique, which was
commissioned in 1975 with an installed capacity of 2075 MW, of which
1455 MW (equivalent to 12746 GWh/year) are firm. The major part of the
produced energy is transmitted to the South African grid via two 530
kV DC transmission lines. Other buyers are Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Other major power plants in the Zambezi and its tributaries are listed
below.
In 1999 UTIP contracted the Joint Venture Lahmeyer International,
Électricité de France and Knight Piésold to carry out a feasibility
study of certain promising development alternatives in the Zambezi
River downstream of Cahora Bassa.
In other parts of the Zambezi and its tributaries, large hydropower
potentials under study and promotion include the Itezhi-Tezhi and the
Kafue Lower sites in the Kafue river of Zambia.
|
Major Hydropower plants in the Zambezi and its
tributaries
|
|
Name |
Country |
Installed
capacity |
|
Victoria
Falls |
Zambia |
108 MW |
|
Kariba North
Bank |
Zambia |
660 MW |
|
Kariba South
Bank |
Zimbabwe |
666 MW |
|
Kafue Gorge |
Zambia |
900 MW |
|
Cahora Bassa |
Mozambique |
2 075 MW |
|
Nkula Falls
A&B |
Malawi |
124 MW |
|
Tedzani 1,2&3 |
Malawi |
90 MW |
|
•
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