Chishimba Hydroelectric Power Station is a hydroelectric power station that sits across the Luombe River in

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...

. The power station, first commissioned in 1959, was rehabilitated and expanded in 1971 and again expanded and modernized in the 2020s. This power station is owned by the

Government of Zambia The politics of Zambia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the president of Zambia is head of state, head of government and leader of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by th ...

and is operated and maintained by

Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited ZESCO (acronym for Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited) is a state-owned power company in Zambia. It is Zambia's largest power company producing about 80% of the electricity consumed in the country. ZESCO represents Zambia in the So ...

(ZESCO), the national electricity utility company. The energy generated here is distributed to the city of Kasama and other parts of

Kasama District Kasama District is a central district of Northern Province, Zambia Northern Province is one of Zambia's ten provinces. It covers approximately one sixth of Zambia in land area. The provincial capital is Kasama. The province is made up of 12 d ...

Location

The power station is located at

Chishimba Falls Chisimba Falls, also Chishimba Falls is a series of waterfalls located in Kasama District, in the Northern Province of Zambia. The waterfalls host the Chishimba Hydroelectric Power Station. The scenic views around the falls, together with a ...

, across the Luombe River, in

, in the Northern Province of Zambia. This is approximately , by road, northwest of the city of Kasama, the district and provincial capital. The geographical coordinates of Chishimba HPP are: 10°07'08.0"S, 30°54'52.0"E (Latitude:-10.118889; Longitude:30.914444).

History

The power station was first commissioned in 1959 with generation capacity of 0.9 MW. The power station went through rehabilitation and expansion, concluding in 1971, with new generating capacity of 6 MW.

Rehabilitation and expansion in the 2020s

In November 2020, ZESCO, who own and operate the power station advertised for qualified consulting engineering firms to bid for the job of ''Owner's Engineer'' on the project of rehabilitation of the 6 MW power station and expansion to a new 15 MW powerhouse. Work involves converting part of the old power station into a tourist museum. Three new electric turbines, each rated at 5 MW will be installed, for a generation capacity calculated at 73 GWh annually. Two new switchyards one of 66 kV and he other of 33 kV will be constructed next to the powerhouse. High voltage transmission lines will connect these switchyards to the existing Kasama substation, where the power will integrate into the Zambian national grid. Funding for this work reported to amount to US$46 million has been sourced from KfW Development Bank.

References

External links

OpenStreetMap Showing Location of Chishimba Hydroelectric Power Station
{{Authority control Power stations in Zambia Northern Province, Zambia Hydroelectric power stations in Zambia Dams completed in 1959 1959 establishments in Northern Rhodesia Energy infrastructure completed in 1959

Location

History

Rehabilitation and expansion in the 2020s

See also

References

External links