The country’s power utility, Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), will between January 2018 and October 2020 spend atleast P2.4 billion on its North West Transmission grid connection project.
The project, which will be implemented in two phases, is expected to kick start in January 2018 with three contractors, Kalpataru Pty (Ltd), Consolidated Power Projects (Pty) ltd and Larsen & Toubro Limited ÔÇô all foreign, identified as BPC’s implementing partners for the first phase. The trio have already signed connection contract with BPC for an undisclosed amount of money.
The power corporation said Friday that it intends to split the P2.4 billion budgeted for the project into two with the first P1.2 billion spent on the construction of 400000V backbone transmission line from Morupule B to Maun through Orapa as well as two 400Kv substations and 132kv line and substations connection Maun to Shakawe and Ghanzi.
BPC
BPC’s Chief Executive, Dr Stefan Schwarzfischer said Friday evening that the three international companies have been thoroughly evaluated according to BPC and PPADB procurement standards, “and we are satisfied they will deliver on the expectations of the project given the wealth of skills, technical competencies and tangible evidence of their previous work”.
Phase one of the project is expected to commence on January 2018 and run through December 2019. The tender of the second and final phase, which will also be allocated P1.2 billion, is expected to be awarded in the first quarter of 2018 whilst the commencement of the project is expected to start from August 2018 with a target conclusion date of October 2020. Phase two will see the extension of the 400kv grid from Phokoje.
Once fully complete, the construction of the North West transmission grid will support large projects in Ngamiland including the 35, 000-tonne per annum copper mine located not too far from Maun. Already the BPC has committed to supply Khoemacau Copper Mining Company with approximately 30MW for its project slated to go online during the second half of 2018.
