English | Spanish | Dutch
Log in

[Lesotho:] China companies start construction of Polihali Dam Tunnel in Africa

    Caihong Wen
    By Caihong Wen Replies (2)

    Construction of Polihali Dam and Transfer Tunnel set to start
    Maseru, 4 November 2022 - Today the Lesotho Highlands Development
    Authority (LHDA) announced the Polihali Dam and Polihali Transfer Tunnel
    construction contract awards, the two biggest Phase II contracts to date. These
    milestone awards mark the start of the final lap of the water transfer
    infrastructure construction. Work on the multibillion Maloti contracts
    commences in November and December respectively, and commissioning is
    expected in 2028.
    "This is an exciting moment for the Project and the LHDA. With our experience
    in successfully delivering large and complex infrastructure projects, we are
    confident that we will deliver quality engineering showpieces even as we
    carefully manage impacts on people and the environment," confirmed Tente
    Tente, Chief Executive, LHDA. "Both joint ventures include Lesotho, South
    African and international companies in keeping with Article 10 of the Phase II
    Agreement."
    "Training young professionals and LHDA staff for the purposes of operating and
    maintaining the dam and tunnel is part of the skills and technology transfer
    element of the projects," added Ntsoli Maiketso, Phase II Divisional Manager,
    LHDA.
    The contract amount for the Polihali Dam is approximately M?.68 billion. The
    successful Polihali Dam bidder is the SUN Joint Venture, comprising main
    partners: Sinohydro Bureau 8 (China); Sinohydro Bureau 14 (China); Unik Civil
    Engineering (South Africa) and Nthane Brothers (Lesotho). Subcontractors
    include Melki Civils and Plant Hire (South Africa); MECSA Construction (South
    Africa); SIGMA Construction (Lesotho) and Kunming Engineering (China).
    Notice of Award will be published on the LHDA website as per norm, which will
    include other bidders and how they performed. Construction will be supervised
    by the Matla a Metsi Joint Venture, comprising GIBB (South Africa); MPAMOT
    Africa (South Africa); Tractebel Engineering SA/Coyne et Bellier (France) and
    LYMA Consulting Engineers (Lesotho).
    More/

     

    11!:1,t;,
    Lesotho Highlands Development Authority
    P.O. Box 7332, MllSelU 100, Lesotho Telephone: (+266) 22 246 000 / 22 311 280 Fax: (+266) 22 310 665 F.mail: lhwpOlhda.org.ls
    The Kopana Ke Matla joint venture, which will construct the Polihali Transfer
    Tunnel, includes Yellow River Company (China); Sinohydro Bureau 3 (China);
    Unik Civil Engineering (South Africa), the main joint venture partners.
    Subcontractors include Nthane Brothers of Lesotho, Esor Construction and
    Mecsa Construction of South Africa. The contract amount for the Polihali
    Transfer Tunnel is approximately M9.2 billion.

    Notice of Award will be published on the LHDA website as per norm, which will
    include other bidders and how they performed. Construction will be supervised
    by Metsi a Senqu-Khubelu Consultants (MSKC) joint venture. MSKC comprises
    Lesotho-based FM Associates and South African firms Zutari South Africa,
    Hatch Africa, Knight Piesold and SMEC South Africa , the main JV partners.
    Phase II adds 2 325 million cubic metres in storage capacity to the LHWP and
    will increase the current annual supply rate capacity from 780 million cubic
    metres to 1 270, contributing towards meeting South Africa's increasing water
    needs. The additional flow of water from Polihali will simultaneously increase
    power generation within Lesotho towards meeting Lesotho's domestic needs
    and reducing the country's dependence on electricity imports.

    The Polihali Dam is a concrete-faced rockfill dam, like the majestic Mohale Dam
    which was constructed in Phase I of the LHWP. It will create a reservoir on the
    Senqu and Khubelu rivers with a surface area of 5 053 hectares. The
    infrastructure also includes a spillway, a compensation outlet structure and a
    mini-hydropower station.

    The Polihali Transfer Tunnel will transfer water by gravity from the Polihali
    reservoir to the Katse reservoir, the centrepiece of the LHWP. From Katse,
    water is transferred via the delivery tunnel to the 'Muela Hydropower Station
    constructed in Phase I, and then on to the Ash River outfall outside Clarence in
    the Free State on its way to Gauteng.

    The Polihali Transfer Tunnel works also include the intake works and gate shaft
    at the Polihali reservoir; outlet works and gate shaft at the existing Katse
    reservoir, with underwater connection to the lake; access adits to the waterway
    and associated construction infrastructure.

    The envisaged transfer tunnel will be approximately 38 kilometres long with a
    nominal bore of five metres. Both tunnel boring and drill and blast methods will
    be used to excavate the tunnel.
    Procurement for the design and construction superv1s1on of the Oxbow
    Hydropower Scheme, also critical to Phase 11, has recently started with March
    2023 as deadline for the submission of bids for engineering, environmental and
    social consultants.

    Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project builds on the successful
    completion of Phase I in 2003.

    image

    image