China and Zimbabwe have signed a $400-million hydroelectric-power infrastructure deal for the expansion of the 55-year-old Kariba South power station in the 180-billion-cubic meter reservoir-capacity Kariba dam, one of the world’s largest.
“We have signed an agreement with China’s Sinohydro Corp. for the expansion of Kariba by an additional two 150-MW units,” Noah Gwariro, managing director of the Zimbabwe Power Co., said in Harare in early June. The upgrade to the plant’s six existing turbines involves installing replacement runners and modifying other turbine hydraulic components to improve efficiency and capacity, as well as the addition of two new turbines. The upgrade will add 1300 MW to the plant’s capacity of 750 MW.