The Batoka Gorge project includes the construction of a dam and a hydro-power plant on the Zambezi River and has the potential of generating 1 600MW between the two countries.
Ms da Silva paid a courtesy call on Vice President Joice Mujuru at the Zanu PF headquarters in Harare Wednesday morning. Speaking to journalists after the closed-door meeting, Ambassador da Silva said Vice President Mujuru is expected to hold meetings with her Brazilian counterpart on her visit to Brazil next week and therefore it was imperative that the ambassador and Mujuru discuss the agenda of the visit among other issues.
Ambassador da Silva noted that a number of Brazilian companies have also forwarded bids to invest in various sectors of the economy including agriculture and electricity generation. The multi-billion dollar Batoka power project is going to be undertaken on a build operate and transfer basis.
Vice President Mujuru’s visit to Brazil next week is expected to contribute to the enhancement of relations between the two countries. Zimbabwe and Zambia signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly construct the Batoka hydro-power project in April 2012.
Last month senior officials from Zimbabwe and Zambia meet in Victoria Falls to discuss issues surrounding the development of the multi-billion dollar Batoka project and the Kariba Dam.
Energy and Power Development minister Elton Mangoma, Finance minister Tendai Biti and Attorney-General Johannes Tomana to engage their Zambian counterparts over the power project. Zimbabwe and Zambia share Kariba Dam and are jointly working on the Batoka power project.
The two countries in December invited bids from prospective developers on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis for the construction of the project that is expected to cost US$4 billion.
The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), the authority that is responsible for the construction of the power project, recently invited bids for the development of the project.
ZRA is jointly owned by the Zimbabwean and Zambian governments and is responsible for the operation and maintenance of Kariba Dam. The body ensures the effective and efficient use of water and other resources in the Zambezi River.
The construction of the power station will increase power generating capacity of Kariba Power Station by a further 300MW.
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