Project Update: Middle East & Africa

Current status of key electric power transmission projects in Middle East & Africa

• Lusaka South MFEZ Transmission Project, Zambia

  May 1, 2013
  The project entails the construction of a 330 kV Lusaka South multi-facility economic zone (MFEZ) transmission line and a 330/33 kV substation.

• Gilgel Gibe III–Addis Ababa 400 kV Power Transmission Project, Ethiopia

  April 1, 2013
  The project entails the construction of a 400 kV transmission line to transfer power from the Gilgel Gibe III hydropower project (HPP) to the Ethiopian national grid.

• Egypt–Saudi Arabia Grid Interconnection

  February 1, 2013
  The USD2 billion project entails construction of a 1,400 km, 500 kV multi-terminal high voltage direct current (HVDC) link between the proposed 500 kV Badr substation in Egypt to the 380 kV Medina East substation in Saudi Arabia.

• Mombasa–Nairobi Transmission Line Project, Kenya

  February 1, 2013
  KETRACO proposed to build a EUR314 million project consisting of a 400 kV double-circuit transmission line between Mombasa and Nairobi.

• CESUL Transmission Project, Mozambique

  February 1, 2013
  Mozambique’s utility EdM plans to implement the USD2.8 billion Central-Southern (CESUL) project to link the country’s central northern grid and southern grid, which are currently operating as two isolated systems.

• Interconnection of Electric Grids of Nile Equatorial Lakes Countries Project, Brundi–Kenya–Uganda–Congo–Rwanda

  February 1, 2013
  The Nile Equatorial Lakes (NEL) interconnection project entails the construction and upgradation of 769 km of 220 kV and 110 kV lines and 17 transformer stations to interconnect the electric grids of the five NEL countries–Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.

• Sur–Izki Transmission Line Project, Oman

  February 1, 2013
  The project entails the construction of a 260 km, 400 kV overhead line (initially operating at 220 kV) from the USD1.6 billion, 2,000 MW Sur power plant to the Izki grid substation.

• Itezhi-Tezhi Hydro Power Generation and Transmission Project, Zambia

  February 1, 2013
  The Itezhi-Tezhi (ITT) hydropower project (HPP) is funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB), African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

• Central African Republic–DRC Interconnection Project [free access]

  January 1, 2013
  The USD92.916 million project entails rehabilitation and strengthening of the Boali hydropower plant (HPP) and the Bangui thermal power plant (TPP) in the Central African Republic (CAR), and the Zongo and Libenge TPPs in the DRC; and the construction of 110/132 kV transmission lines.

• Mumbwa–Kasempa–Kalumbila Transmission Line Project, Zambia

  January 1, 2013
  The project entails the construction of a 365-km long, 330 kV transmission line between the Kalumbila substation and the Mumbwa substation via the Kasempa substation.

• Riyadh–Mecca HVDC Interconnector, Saudi Arabia [free access]

  December 1, 2012
  The project entails the construction of an 800-km, high voltage direct current (HVDC) link between the Dharma and Bahra stations to link the grids of Riyadh and Mecca.

• Ras Laffan–Halul Island Submarine Power Cable, Qatar

  December 1, 2012
  The project entails the construction of two 100-km, 132 kV submarine cables to supply power from the Ras Laffan Industrial City, located 80 km from Doha, to Halul Island.

• Tumu–Han–Wa Transmission Line Project, Ghana

  December 1, 2012
  The project, part of GRIDCo’s investment plan for transmission system enhancement and reliability, entails the construction of a of 150-km, 161 kV transmission line from Tumu through Han to Wa in the country’s Upper West Region.

• Zanzibar Interconnector Project, Tanzania [free access]

  November 1, 2012
  The project entails the construction of a 100 MW, 132 kV submarine cable from the Ubungo substation in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to the Mtoni substation on Zanzibar’s Unguja Island.

• Benin–Togo Power Rehabilitation Project

  November 1, 2012
  The project entails the construction of 308 km of 161 kV lines, 5 km of 63 kV underground cables and a 63 kV substation, refurbishment of 289 km of 161 kV lines, and refurbishment of eight 161 kV substations.

• Zizabona Transmission Project, Zimbabwe–Zambia–Botswana–Namibia.

  October 1, 2012
  The Zizabona project seeks to connect power grids of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia.

• Zambia–Tanzania–Kenya Power Interconnector Project

  October 1, 2012
  The project is being developed by a special purpose vehicle (SPV) which is jointly owned by the three governments of Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya.

• Kenya–Ethiopia Power Interconnector Project

  October 1, 2012
  The project involves construction of a high voltage transmission line to interconnect the national grids of Kenya and Ethiopia to facilitate power trade between the two countries and provide electricity to consumers at affordable prices.

• Refurbishment of Cahora Bassa HVDC Project, Mozambique–South Africa

  October 1, 2012
  The project entails the refurbishment of the existing 1,420 km, ±533 kV high voltage direct current (HVDC) line from the Cahora Bassa generating station on the Zambezi River in northern Mozambique.

• Kumasi–Bolgatanga Transmission Line, Ghana

  October 1, 2012
  The project entails the construction of a 530-km, 330 kV transmission line from Kumasi to Bolgatanga in Ghana and is part of GRIDCo’s electricity transmission infrastructure development programme.