GEOGRAPHY FIELD PROJECT 2019

NAME : MASIYE MULENGA

EXAM NUMBER : 1732040027

CENTRE NUMBER : 3242

SCHOOL : LWENGU SCHOOL

TITLE : THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC

IMPACT OF POWER GENERATION IN ZAMBIA.

SUPERVISOR : MR R. KADENE

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to acknowledge the immense contributions of the following

individuals; Mr. Masiye for the successful completion of my project. I would also
like to thank my geography teacher Mr.Kadene for his assistance and
encouragement.

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DEDICATION.

I dedicate this project to God Almighty my creator, my strong pillar, my source of

inspiration, wisdom, knowledge and understanding. He has been the source of my
strength throughout this program and on His wings only have I soared.

DECLERATION

I wish to declare that the information shown in this project was collected through
interviews with tour guides and through observations.

BACKGROUND

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The construction of Kafue gorge began in 1968. Between 1969 and 1972, a
reservoir and an underground power house were constructed. The power house
comprised of the machinery, vertical shaft for cables and a lift.

The first production of electricity was in October 1971, with the commissioning of
the first unit. By April 1971, all the four units were commissioned

The second stage of the project was completed in 1977: the installation capacity
was increased from 600MW to 900MW

On 18th February 1989, the station was gutted with fire. The accident occurred
when a cable taken for maintenance was brought back. After all maintenance was
done, the very same afternoon a circuit breaker (C.B) tripped due to failure of the
joint at mid-height. The fault which occurred at the joint chamber started the fire
which destroyed everything in the chamber and administration building on the
surface. This was a major loss.

The whole installation system was destroyed and burned into ashes. The fire
brigade was late and it was a risky experience because there were explosive
machines. Fortunately no life was lost in the accident/

The accident had a negative effect on the country and the company Zambia
Electricity Supply Company (ZESCO). ZESCO was forced to introduce load shedding
to most domestic consumers. Therefore the financial loss from commerce
industry and general public was enormous.

RATIONALE

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Power generation at Kafue gorge H.E.P station has an effect on the Economic and
environmental impact of power generation of the immediate surroundings. It will
facilitate future construction of the power stations to incorporate long term
effects of power generation to the surroundings. The study will also look at how
the surrounding inhabitants and the country as a whole has benefited from the
H.E.P station at Kafue gorge.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

The Kafue gorge H.E.P station has both immediate and long term effects on the
economic and environmental impact of the surrounding area.

Since the construction of the H.E.P station, river channel has been disturbed. The
rivers natural course has been discouraged, because it has to pass through the
gorge before it continues with its natural course.

There has been a change in the rock formation of the area during construction
destroying the natural setup of the geology of the area. The generation of power
at the gorge also has had an aquatic, biotic and human impacts, which have
resulted in a new setup of life for the three mentioned above.

AIM

TO INVESTIGATE THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE KAFUE

GORGE H.E.P STATION
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OBJECTIVES

1. TO IDENTIFY THE FACTORS THAT LED TO THE LOCATION OF THE POWER

STATION.
2. TO INVESTIGATE HOW THE H.E.P IS GENERATED AND TRANSMITTED.
3. TO ASCERTAIN THE ECONOMIC, BENEFITS OF THE KAFUE GORGE H.E.P IN
ZAMBIA TODAY.
4. TO FIND OUT THE IMPACTS OF THE KAFUE H.E.P SCHEME TO ITS
IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT.

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LITERATURE REVIEW

Hydroelectric power is producing electricity by the power of falling water

(ranganathan, 1992). Hydroelectricity further refers to supply systems which
generate electricity by means of increasing potential energy of the mass of
flowing in a river of a rise and fall of tidal water (Barzun, 1968). The technology
used in using water to propel the turbine which in turn drives the generator
hence electricity is produced. There must be a source of water such as a river,
which should be dammed to improve the head of the water.

By 1989, hydroelectric power supplied 20% of the world’s electricity and 6% of

the world’s total commercial energy. Hydroelectric power supplies Norway with
essentially all its electricity, Switzerland 74%, Austria 67% and the less developed
countries (L D S s) 50%(millers 1992).

The generation of H.E.P is done mostly on world’s most longest rivers utilizing,
natural rapids water falls an gorges. In some areas where there are not available,
dams and artificial waterfalls have been constructed.

Some of the world’s hydroelectric power stations Ontario hydro (now called
hydro one) on the Niagara falls in Canada, Rio de la plantar in brazil, Rio Santiago
in Mexico, Vandaerrkloof and drenkensberg hydro in south Africa. In Zambia,
there is Kariba, Kafue, Mulungushi H.E.P stations (Stockholm environmental
institution, se1, 2000).

Much of the hydro power potential of North America and Europe has been
developed but Africa has trapped only 5% of its hydro power potential. Latin
America 8% of electricity of all commercial energy used by the United States.

Hydroelectricity power generation has both economic and environmental impacts

on the surrounding area. The effects are both positive and negative.
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The management practices of operating the H.E.P stations also differ depending
on the technology and the local prevailing climate conditions. For example, the
hydro one in Canada the 10th longest hydro electric utility company in north
America, supplying electricity to some largest industries from Quebec through to
new York dam to Pennsylvania. The company uses a G15 in the electricity
utilization. (htpp: //www.esri.com/arcnews/tech.ntimi@spring.2001). Today
hydro one is one of the largest electricity utility companies in North America
transporting electricity to large industrial consumers, municipal utilities and more
than one million smaller and user across Ontario, Canada. Hydro one supplies
electricity to most of the towns and industries in Canada and part of it is exported
to the United States of America (USA).

Hydroelectric power contributes to socio – economic and environment impact in

that it reduces dependency on fuel wood, kerosene and energy sources which
pollute the environment. For example a study commissioned in 1999 in rural
Bhutan, Asia by the global environment facility (G.E.F) funded by the Swedish
Power International found out that in spite of the considerable expansion of the
population in the area, pressure on the natural resources had reduced
considerably, by after the installation of a Hydro Electricity Power Station in the
area (SEI, 2001). The Stocholm Environmental Institution, (2001) had argued,
“Hydro Electric Power as a renewable energy source has advanced facilitated
developmental policies and strategies that are environmentally friendly and the
Bhutan area is now on a takeoff to sustainable future” (SEI 2001) The poverty
levels have also dropped from 50% to 125 in some areas.

The other example of the socio-economic and environmental benefits of H.E.P

generation can be seen in South Africa. According to the Eskom, the world’s fifth
largest electrical energy utility company, the general electrification of Soweto,
one of the country’s black communities that has been neglected for development
for decades has low relatively reduced poverty levels, though it still remains one
of the poorest areas in the country. The use of charcoal for cooking and heating
has reduced to about 40% from 85% since 1994, when the project of general
electrification started by Eskom in South Africa. SEI 2001).

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The Aswan High Dam on the Nile River in Egypt is another very good example of
how large scale dams have both advantages and disadvantages on the socio-
economic and environment impact. The dam was built in the 1960s to provide
flood control and irrigation water for the lower Nile basin and electricity for Cairo
and other parts of Egypt (Miller, 1992). On the socio-economic part, the project
today, supplies about one – third of Egypt electrical power and it saved Egypt’s
rice and cotton crops during the droughts of 1972 and 1973, this through
irrigation using water from reservoir.

The other advantages of H.E.P generation at the Aswan dam is the being a
reservoir for water used for irrigation and H.E.P generation purposes, irrigation
has brought about 405,000 hectares of desert land under cultivation. This would
enable even those people without land for cultivation to have land. H.E.P also
contributes to the economic development of the country through the generation
of the foreign exchange when power is exported to neighboring countries.

The negative impact of H.E.P generation on the socio-economic and environment

of surrounding areas for example on Aswan dam are so numerous. Because of
damming of the Nile River, the water in the lower Nile contains less sediment.
This results in the Nile to erode on its bed and undermined numerous budges and
smaller dams down the steam (Miller, 1992).

Without the River Nile discharge of sediments, the sea is eroding the delta is
advancing inland, reducing productivity on large areas of agriculture land. This
loss of productive land by erosion and salt water intrusion is increased by
subsidence in Egypt’s Nile delta forma rise in sea level centuries of deposited
sediments, (Barzun, 1968). Losses of sediments trapped in a reservoir also
contribute to degradation of downstream channel coastal beaches.

The other effect is on the nutrients rich in salt. These nutrients rich in salt no
longer reach the water at the river’s mouth. As a result Egypt’s sardine, Mackerel,
shrimp and lobster industry have all but disappeared. Most of the bread of fish
mentioned has disappeared because the type of food used to feed on is trapped
in the reservoir. The flooding of spawning beds for migration fish is preventing

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reproduction or destruction of spawning gravel by channel dredging or lining

(Howard and William, 1982). The closure if industries dealing in fish processing
has led to losses of approximately 30,000 jobs, millions of dollars annually, and an
important source of protein for Egyptians.

The flooding to create Lake Nasser has uprooted about 125,000 people (Miller
1992) these people have lost property, land and animals. Their cultural system
has also been distributed because of the migration to settle elsewhere where
they are not very used to.

The displacement of the people by the creation of other project like the man-
made lake Nasser is the thing that was not planned for. These are the things that
are normally overlooked during the planning. However, it’s important to note that
not all the socio-economic and environmental impacts of H.E.P general are the
same. Some depend on the way the dam was constructed, the management and
the climate of the area. But mostly, the environment impacts are the same
everywhere.

In Zambia H.E.P is supplied by the Zambia Electricity supply company (ZESCO). It is

the only company that supplies hydroelectricity to all the towns in Zambia. Kafue
Gorge is the largest hydro power station in Zambia. It produces about 900kw
while kariba produces about 600kw. Kafue Gorge dam raises the river by 45
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meters above its natural level and creates a live storage of 700 million cubic
meters of water. The headrace works convey the utilized flow from an in lake on
the right bank upstream of the dam to the turbines in an underground
PowerStation.

The gorge dam comprises an earth and rock fill dam and spillways. The building
material was mainly taken from the huge underground excavating for the
headrace tunnel. The impervious fill is a compacted lateritic soils from a borrow
area near the dam. During the dam was constructed period, the river was
diverted through two tunnels on the right banks.

The impact of the Kafue Gorge H.E.P generation on the socio-economic (life of the
people) can be traced from the construction stage up to the transmission stage.
The generation of power at Kafue gorge H.E.P station has an impact on the
geological formation of the area, biodiversity, aquatic life and human activities.

Dam Reading

Accumulation of weed in front of the trash racks can lead to a head loss, which in
terms of revenue cannot be ignored. Moreover, the more the accumulation of
weeds the trash racks the higher will be the speed of the water entering the
headrace tunnel making it more difficult to clean the trash racks. This head loss is
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estimated with a plumb by comparing the water level upstream of the rocks and
in the gate shaft behind the racks. The readings are taken in conjunction with the
generation at the station since head loss is also a function of water velocity that is
directly proportional to generation. The loss due to the trash that trapped on the
trash racks did not be allowed to exceed 0.8m.

Headrace Tunnel

The Headrace tunnel conveys water from the headrace tunnel intake to six
vertical penstocks. The tunnels are 10km long. The tunnel is not lined except in a
few parts with concrete. At full load with all six units the average water velocity is
2.2m/s at the downstream and of the tunnel connects the headrace surge galley.

Penstocks

The headrace tunnels lead to the intakes, from where the six vertical penstocks
convey the water to the six turbines. Each penstock is provided with a cylinder
gate in the upper and a spherical value in the lower and upper part of each
penstock is steel lined and has an internal diameter of 2.74m. The water velocity
at full load is 4.9m/s in upper part of the penstock and 7.1m/s in the lower part

Power Production Capacity

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The Kafue Gorge Hydro Electric power station is the largest H.E.P station in
Zambia, which produce 5900MW, followed by Kariba North Bank as the table
below shows.

Fig1.1

METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

This chapter will give detail on the methods in the data collection during the
study, the sources of data and the limitation encountered. Sources of data include
scheduled interviews and secondary data.
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Scheduled interviews- these were planned for and questions were prepared for
the person responsible for the plant and the people in the surrounding
environment who may feel the socio-economic impact of the plant.

Data Limitation- lack of adequate time limited the number of respondents. Apart
from talking to the plant manager Mr. Abraham Nsashi, data was supposed to be
feeling the socio-economic impact of the Kafue Gorge H.E.P station.

OWNERSHIP

The kafue hydroelectricity power station is owned by the government. The

Zambian government decided to have its own H.E.P station because it was
depending on kariba south bank power station(Zimbabwe). The kafue gorge was
established to meet the needs and demand for electricity by the copper mines
and the domestic needs in zambia.

The main constructors of the project were undertaken by Energy Project of

Yugoslavia were mainly engaged in the civil work of the dam. Kwaener Brug of
Norway provided the turbines. The generators were supplied by Alsom of france.
The transformer and the 300kv cables were provided and installed by ansaldo and
Pirelli of Italy. While the consulting engineers came from Swedish engineering
company (SWECO) of Sweden.

PHYSICAL DESIGN

The geographical location of the Kafue gorge allows it to generate H.E.P the
design of the plant it is different from most of the designs of other H.E.P stations
in Zambia.

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It consists of a dam and power stations at Kafue gorge and a storage control dam
at itezhi-tezhi.

The site for the underground power house, 450 meters below the rock surface is
on the south bank of Kafue. The top dam wall is 45m above the valley floor. The
topography of the gorge makes it possible for the power to be generated. The
drops at a steep gradient down the gorge.

The topography of the gorge allows the water to have potential difference of
water needed to gain velocity and kinetic energy.

The other reason why the site was chosen there was need for country to have its
own hydro-electric power station internally, free from interference like war and
other political interferences. The advantages of the locating the H.E.P at this site
include the interior location inside the country. The area has a natural Gorge and
a river.

SPILLWAY

The gorge dam comprises an earth and rock fill dam and spillways. The spillway,
whose function is for control, consists of four radial gates each. The spillway
serves to discharge waters that cannot be stored in reservoirs or pass through
turbines.

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

Capacity of electricity generation plants (1993)

STATION MACHINE TYPE INSTALLATION AVAILABLE FIRM ENERGY

CAPACITY CAPACITY
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GNH/YEAR
kW kW

Kariba North H 600, 000 600, 000 3,750

Kafue gorge H 900, 000 900, 000 5,200

Victoria falls H 108, 000 108, 000 769

Lusiwasi H 12, 000 12, 000 105

FIG.2.0

ELECTRICITY EXPORT FOR 1991

COUNTRY UNITS(kWh) VALUE($)

ZIMBABWE 1,815,302 18,289,63

BOTSWANA 4,999 310,45

NAMIBIA 6,515 422,85

TANZANIA 1,559 113,70

TOTAL 18,283,75 19,156,63

FIG2.1

Sector 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992

Agriculture 148.5 175.1 185.6 179.0 187.8 245.4

Quarries 38.7 40.4 39.7 39.2 43.9 38.1

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Manufacturin 491.6 485.8 382.5 361.2 364.2 363.1

g

Transport 11.7 5.5 9.3 9.9 10.5 13.8

Sauces 337.4 322.0 325.5 331.0 326.0 279.2

Commercial 199.5 208.5 243.3 248.0 244.0 254.0

Construction 7.4 8.8 11.1 9.9 9.3 9.2

Domestic 536.2 410.7 494.3 581.2 599.1 616.4

ZCCM 497.3 1449.3 4348.1 4233.2 4083.6 4238.8

Others 79.8 106.3 134.4 136.2 114.1 107.3

Export 1036.2 1233.1 148.2 985.5 2107.5 95.4

Total 7374.3 7415.4 6321.9 7114.4 8095.5 6258.6

FIG2.2

Problems and Limitations

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The only problems that they face are in acquiring spare parts for the machinery,
which they use. The spare parts have to be imported from abroad and the cost of
acquiring them is too high. It is also very difficult to clear this machinery at the
border because of strict cleaning rules and delayments. About 99.9% of
equipment and spare parts is imported from Norway, Sweden and France.

Labour Force

The company work force is as follows; there are one hundred and eight people
working at the Gorge. Nine of the technicians are men with only one lady. From
the 108 workers there are only six from the University of Zambia. The Social
economic benefits of the Kafue Gorge H.E.P station are numerous. First and
foremost, the station supplies electricity to almost the whole country, which is
used for industrial and domestic purposes. The establishment of the H.E.P station
at the gorge has been Zambia`s dependency of electricity from all over the
country.

The surrounding people have now stopped using diesel and other means of
energy sources for household use. They use electricity, which is clean and cheap.
They have stopped cutting trees for fuel since they now use electricity.

The location of the gorge in that area provides employment for the local people,
from the number of work force; we can see the most people are very skilled.
Most of them are casual workers who may be working and temporarily. There is
also a clinic and school established to carter for people here.

During construction the geomorphology structure of the area was disturbed.

When constructing the gorge, most rocks were blown off to make the office and
the structure down the gorge.

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Negative Impacts of Socio-economic and Environmental Impacts

The river temperature is normally high because of the water passing through the
turbines. This affects the fish in the river. Some of the species, which cannot
adapt to the new conditions died.

The people too have been displaced to settle areas where the conditions are not
good for agriculture. The people are also affected by the floods, which occur
when gates are Itezhi-tezhi dam have opened. These floods destroy their crops
and houses leaving people homeless and with no food.

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Conclusions

The Kafue Gorge Hydro Electric Power station has contributed a lot to the socio-
economic sector in the provision of electricity of Zambia. From the tour
conducted by students at Kafue gorge H.E.P station, it was found out at the
moment the impacts are very minimal. The Kafue weeds which were thought to
have been caused by the H.E.P station was said to have been caused by other
factors. There are also more benefits of power generation more than the negative
effects.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

The power generated should be extended to remote areas. There are some areas
even within the Kafue gorge, which are not yet electrified such that the people do
not see the benefit of its location there. The costs for power within the
surrounding areas should be affordable. The company should be employing local
people not those from faraway places.

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REFERENCE
Barzium .J. (1968), The future of the world of Energy resources. New Yoke and Hall

Eskom (1994). Environmental Report on South Africa. Eskom A.E.P project Pretoria Eskom S.A

Howard G.W and William G.J eds (1982). Kafue Basin research committee. Lusaka UNZA

Miller M.J (1992). Environmental Science. London

Ranganathan V. ed (1992). Rural Electrification in Africa. London SAREC.

Stockholm Environment Institution (2001). Renewable energy for development Volume 13.4

ZESCO 2001 Annual Report

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