Approved project | PIDA PAP 2

Approved project

Luapula Hydropower project

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Basic Information

Project Title	Luapula Hydropower project
PIDA Sector	Energy
PIDA Sub-sector	Generation – Hydro
Member States	Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia
Region	Central Africa, Southern Africa
Beneficiary Countries	Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Regional Economic Community	Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)
Project Institution	SAPP

Strategic Alignment and Regional Commitment

Source in the National Master Plan	The governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Zambia signed an Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding (IGMOU)
Source in the REC Master Plan	SADC RIDMP and SAPP Pool Plan 2017, Linked to the North-South Transmission Corridor of the PIDA programme
Brief Description of the Project	The governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Zambia signed an Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding (IGMOU) on 9 July 2015 for the joint development of generation projects in the Luapula River Basin and for a new power interconnector between the two countries. The national power utilities of the two countries entered into specific memoranda of understandings for the development of the generation projects and for the power interconnector respectively. The Inter Utility Memorandum of Understanding for the power interconnector was also signed on 9 July 2015. The Luapula River was initially investigated for hydropower development by the Zambian Government in 1976 during which time five sites indicated below were established and investigated. Later in 2001, ZESCO LTD confirmed the potential of over 1188MW of which more than 773MW is firm capacity. However, previous project development plans were constrained because the development plans were only coordinated from one country despite the location of the river being on the border.
Objective and Rationale for the Project	The project objectives are as follows: • Provide clean energy there by contributing to sustainable industrial and economic development in the two countries. • Reduce the current levels of power deficits in the two countries • Increase access to electricity to various parts of the two countries • Contribute to increase SAPP energy market capacity • To improve the network stability in the southern region of DRC and the Northern region of Zambia.
Location/Site	DRC and Zambia
Image/Map Files	Luapula-Hydro-Power-Plant.jpg
Existing or Planned Projects along the proposed project	The project serves a planned infrastructure asset of another sector, but there is more than 50% overlap in the geography serviced by the proposed project and the other sector planned asset.
Technical Specifications of the Project	1200 MW hydro installed capacity in 4 phases
Market Size	SAPP Market
Project Financial (in USD)	US$ 9 Million for project preparation phase. First implementation phases will target 270 MW estimated to cost 540 M USD
Gender Procurement actions	In accordance with the SADC Gender policy and guidelines
Last Milestone Known	S2B - Feasibility

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