WATER OPTIMIZATION FOR POWER GENERATION IN THE KAFUE RIVER BASIN PROJECT

Zambia and the rest of the Southern African region have been facing an electricity power deficit due to many factors, including low flows, and increased evapotranspiration, mainly due to the effect of EL Nino and southern oscillation (ENSO), increasing water demand by other users and spillage due to inadequate storage during wet years mainly influenced by La Nina conditions, among others. This challenge has led to electricity load shedding in dry years.

On June 21, 2022, the Zambian President Hichilema Hakainde undertook a guided tour of the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro Power plant in Chikankata district of Southern province. During the visit, he stressed the need to optimize the utilization of the Kafue basin’s natural endowment of water.

“Before the Kafue River gets to the Zambezi River, we can generate more power, at least up to 2000 megawatts” he implored.

Hydro-flow Apex Company Limited has been engaged by Zambia's largest electricity producer and distributer, Zesco Limited, to undertake a study of the Kafue River Basin with the view to optimize the utilization of the basin for power generation. The basin has been targeted because of its location, and its hydropower generation potential.

Project Team

Hydro-flow Apex has assembled a formidable team of water resource experts to ensure that the project objectives are met. The team is complemented by a high level team of experts from Zesco Limited.

The Hydro-flow Apex Company project team is composed of the following:

Romas Kamanga - MSc. B.Eng; Hydropower/Dam Engineer (Lead Consultant)

Edwin Nyirenda - Phd. MSc. B.Eng, Senior Hydrologist.

Peter Mashumba - Msc. BSc., Geotechnical Engineer.

Kalumba Mulenga- Phd. MSc. Pg.Cert., B.Eng Flood Modeler.

Joseph Shikabonga - MEng, BSc., Structural Engineer.

Chitembo Simwanza - MBA, BBA, PgDip., Economist.

Lubinga Handia - MSc. BEng; Environmental specialist.

Vincent Kakoma - MBA, BEng; Contract & Project administrator.

Shepherd Ndhlovu - BSc. Dip. Hydrologist.

Romas Kamanga

Project Lead Consultant.

MSc. Hydropower Development. Norwegian University of Science and Technology; B.Eng Civil engineering, University of Zambia.

Director Hydro-flow Apex Company Ltd. He has served as the Hydrological modelling expert on the Capacity Building for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Project: Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects in Zambia, under NTU of Denmark. He has also worked as a Hydropower Planner under Norconsult. He has served as Chairperson of the Dam Safety Panel for the Ministry of Agriculture in Zambia. He also worked as a Project Manager under Zesco Ltd. Romas has also served as the Zesco coordinator for the Assessment of Itezhi-tezhi Hydropower Project in Zambia using Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol. He has also worked as the Site Manager for the then Proposed 86MW Lusiwasi Lower Hydropower Plant. He has served as Team Leader for Reconnaissance Studies for mini hydropower sites in Northern and Muchinga provinces of Zambia under Zesco. He was a member of various project review teams including the then Proposed 750MW Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Plant, and served as the Hydrologist for upgrade and rehabilitation of Zesco small hydro power stations. He comes with more than 30 years experience in power generation related hydrology and reservoir management.

Dr. Edwin Nyirenda

Senior Hydrologist

Phd. Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; MSc degree Civil Engineering New Mexico State University, USA; B.Eng degree Civil Engineering, University of Zambia

Dr. Nyirenda served as a lecturer and Head of Department for the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Zambia. He is a part-time lecturer. Postgraduate courses taught include; Surface and Ground Water Hydrology and modelling, Environmental Quality Modelling, Hydro Power (Hydrology Component). Undergraduate courses taught include; Water Management and Hydraulic Structures, Hydrology, and Fluid Mechanics. He has supervised various postgraduate research on both the Zambezi and Kafue River basins. He was involved in hydraulic evaluations of the canals and hydrologic analysis of the Mulungushi and Lunsemfwa hydro-power schemes to analyze the adequacy of the systems for the proposed upscaling of power generation. He is also credited for the development of water resource management tools, including the web-based Water Permits and Water Usage databases for Zambia and surface water resource modeling tools to assist in water resources management and allocations.

Lubinga Handia

Environmental Expert

MSc. in Water Resources Engineering, Free University Brussel and Catholic University Leuven, Belgium, Inter-University Postgraduate Programme in Water Resources Engineering, Inter-University Postgraduate Programme in Hydrology, B.Eng in Civil Engineering, University of Zambia

Company Lead Consultant/ Director- Hydro-flow Apex Company Ltd. UNZA lecturer with over 30 years experience in hydrology, hydraulics and water resources management. He has worked as a lecturer in the School of Engineering at the University of Zambia since 1995. He teaches Water management and Hydraulic Structures, Hydrology, Fluid Mechanics. Consulting assignments undertaken include, Environmental Impact Assessments for the proposed Upper Lunsemfwa Dam Project; Development and implementation of a hydrology module on Environmental Flows Capacity Building Project which is being implemented by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department-University of Zambia; Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the upgrading of the Samfya-Katanshya-Mpata (D449/D450) and Katanshya-Chinsanka-Twiingi (RD449) Roads in Luapula Province of Zambia.

Vincent Kakoma

Contract & Project Administration

Masters in Business Administration- Project Management, University of Zambia, Bachelor of Engineering -Civil Engineering, University of Zambia.

Director- Hydro-flow Apex Company Ltd. Vincent Kakoma has more than 30 years experience in the civil engineering sector. He spent his early years in the then ZCCM Nkana Division's Engineering Projects department where he managed civil engineering projects. He also worked under Engineering Services where he acted as sectional engineer for the water works section. He was part of a two-man Civil Engineering Team at Konkola Deep Mining Project Phase II that was responsible for the design of mining and ancillary civil engineering structures. He also worked as a technical instructor/part-time lecturer in Construction Management at the Copperbelt University of Zambia. He is an expert in structural engineering design, project management and CAD systems. His background as a creative and his penchant for coding and software development bring valuable problem solving skills. His certification as an ILO trainer adds exceptional people management and team building skills.

Dr. Kalumba Mulenga

Flood Modelling Expert

Phd. Katholieke Universiteit (KU Leuven), Belgium, MSc. in Water Resources Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit, Belgium, Postgraduate Certificate in Appropriate Management of Land and Water Resources, Tottori University, Japan, and The National Water Research Institute, Egypt, B.Eng Agricultural Engineering.

He has worked as a lecturer in the Department of Agriculture, in the School of Engineering, at the University of Zambia since 2012. He teaches Water hydrology resources engineering to Postgraduates and Irrigation and drainage engineering, and Soil and Water Conservation Engineering to Undergraduate students. Previous consultancy engagements include hydrological assessments and modelling, establishing catchment characteristics, Bathymetric and Topographical surveys, flood risk assessment and mapping, determining 50 and 100-year design flood levels for structural design purposes, assessing groundwater levels, patterns and impacts on structures. He is proficient in HEC RAS hydraulic modelling and the use of the SWAT model in catchment modelling. Basin characterization works undertaken, include that of the Zambezi River Basin.

Peter Mashumba

Geotechnical Engineer

MSc. in Civil Engineering, St Petersburg University, Russia, MSc. B.Eng in Civil Engineering St Petersburg University, Russia;

Peter Mashumba Lectured at UNZA between 2008 and 2012, and from 2018 to 2022. He is the Principal Geotechnical Engineer for Bitumen Soils & Concrete(Pvt)Ltd in Zimbabwe. he has vast experience in construction material testing and quality control. He has been involved various dam design and construction projects. These include the Ziminya Dam (Zimbabwe), Kariba plunge pool (Zambia-Zimbabwe), Water Pressure Testing and Grouting of Bwange Dam (Malawi), Geotechnical Investigations for Lufubu Hydropower Plant in Mbala, Zambia, Geotechnical Investigations for Mujila Mini Hydropower Plant, the Kakono Hydro power Plant in Tanzania, . He has worked on various geotechnical investigations for various construction projects in Zambia.

Joseph Shikabonga

Structural Engineer

Masters in Structural Engineering, Odessa state Academy of Civil Engineers And Architects, Ukraine.

He has worked as a lecturer in the School of Engineering at the University of Zambia since 2011. Courses taught include; Reinforce and Prestressed Concrete Design, Structural Steel Design, Structural Dynamics, Theory of Structures and Mechanics of Materials. He has undertaken various consultancy projects. These have involved design of civil engineering infrastructure such as, shopping complexes, high-rise buildings, bridges and design of concrete ratios for stadiums.

Chitembo Simwanza

Economist

MBA University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa. BBA, PgDip. in Business Management, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa. BBA ,Copperbelt University. Kitwe, Zambia. Senior Management Development Program, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa.

He worked as a Senior manager for business development at Zesco for 10 years. Past projects worked on include; development of the Kariba North Bank Extension (KNBE). 360 MW power plant, Ndola Energy Company Limited (NECL). 50 MW privately owned heavy fuel oil plant based in Ndola, development of Zesco's investment policy. He served as the Zesco lead negotiator for a number of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with various Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

Shepherd Ndhlovu

Hydrologist

BSc. in Environmental Science, Dip. in Water Engineering

Shepherd Hampela Ndhlovu has extensive experience in hydrological modelling, flow forecasting, and water resources management for hydropower planning and operations. He worked at Zesco Ltd for over 22 years continuously at the Kariba North Bank power station as a civil maintenance technocrat, and as a Principal Hydrology Technologist at Zesco limited Head Office. He also holds a qualification in Water and Climate Change. Currently, he is a master’s student (H00287447) at Heriot-Watt University (HWU). Mr. Shepherd Hampela Ndhlovu is currently registered as a Professional Technologist at the Engineering Institute of Zambia. He has worked for over 10 years on the Kafue river basin.