The Kafue Gorge Upper Power Station (KGU), is an operational

hydroelectric power Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

plant across the

Kafue River The Kafue River is the longest river lying wholly within Zambia at about long. Its water is used for irrigation and for hydroelectric power. It is the largest tributary of the Zambezi, and of Zambia's principal rivers, it is the most central ...

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 ...

Location

KGU is located on the Kafue River, approximately , by road, south of

Lusaka Lusaka (; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Zambia. It is one of the fastest-developing cities in southern Africa. Lusaka is in the southern part of the central plateau at an elevation of about . , the city's population was ab ...

, the capital and largest city in Zambia. This is approximately upstream of where the Kafue River empties into the

Zambezi River The Zambezi River (also spelled Zambeze and Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. Its drainage basin covers , slightly less than hal ...

, and approximately upstream of the Kafue Gorge Lower Power Station. The geographical coordinates of Kafue Gorge Upper Power Station are:15°48'25.0"S, 28°25'16.0"E (Latitude:-15.806944; Longitude:28.421111).

Overview

KGU is an earth-rockfill dam with a concrete spillway with four radial gates. The electromechanical capacity is six generators of 150 megawatts each, for maximum capacity of 900 megawatts. The reservoir measures in surface area. The power generators and electromechanical power house are below ground. The water effluent from 900 megawatts Kafue Gorge Upper Power Station is used downstream to power the 750 megawatts Kafue Gorge Lower Power Station, in what is known as ''cascaded generation''.

History

Construction of this power station started in 1967. In 1971, the first 150 megawatt turbine was installed and commissioned. Three other turbines were installed and commissioned in 1972. At some point between 1973 and 2009, two more turbines of 150 megawatts each, were installed to bring the generating capacity at the power station to 900 megawatts. The station currently has an installed capacity of 990 MW with six (6) generators with a capacity of 165 MW each. The power plant has a 330 kV power line output.

References

External links

Official Website of ZESCO
{{Authority control Power stations in Zambia Kafue River Kafue District Underground power stations Energy infrastructure completed in 1973 Hydroelectric power stations in Zambia