Alstom, the global transport infrastructure, power generation and transmission firm, has won a US$26.25 million contract to provide turbines and generators for the 120MW Itezhi-Tezhi hydroelectric project in Zambia
The bid for the power plant to be built on the Kafue River in central Zambia was awarded by Sinohydro Corporation Limited, the Chinese engineering company.
Work on the $250 million project was finally launched by former Zambian president Rupiah Banda in September 2011 after several years of delay, with construction expected to be completed by 2015.
Alstom will supply two 60MW Kaplan turbine and generator units, along with other equipment, including the main inlet valve and governing and excitation systems. The firm will also be responsible for supervising installation and commissioning at the site.
The contract for the entire project was awarded to Sinohydro on a turnkey basis by Itezhi-Tezhi Power Corporation Limited (IPPC), which is a joint venture between Indian business group Tata and the state-owned Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO).
According to Alstom, currently about 1,880MW of the country's 1,970MW of installed power capacity is generated from hydroelectric sources.
