PROJEC TS
AN UPDATE Confluence of the Senqu and Khubelu rivers
Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) comprises the construction of the Polihali Dam and reservoir, water transfer tunnel and the associated access roads, bridges, accommodation, electrical transmission lines and telecommunications infrastructure.
T
he LHWP Phase II builds on the successful completion of Phase I in 2003. It delivers water to the Gauteng region of South Africa and uses the water delivery system to generate electricity in Lesotho. Key components of the project Polihali Dam • 163.5 m high rockfill dam • 49.5 m high saddle dam Polihali Transfer Tunnel • The Polihali Dam will be built downstream of the confluence of the Khubelu and Senqu rivers in the Mokhotlong district in the eastern Highlands of Lesotho. • A 38.2 km long and 5.2 m diameter water transfer tunnel will link the Polihali and Katse reservoirs. Hydropower • Feasibility studies are completed. It is decided that conventional hydropower is the best option. • T hree potential sites have been identified: two on the Senqu River and a third site at Oxbow on the Malibamats’o River. • The Government of Lesotho has approved the Oxbow site for Phase II hydropower component. The procurement of a service provider for
the detail design and supervision of the hydropower scheme has started. Key dates are: • 2022 – begin the design of the preferred option • 2025 – begin construction • 2028 – commission. Advance infrastructure • This has mostly been completed and entails: • roads • bridges • housing • offices • workshops • bulk power • telecommunications networks, which support project implementation and benefit Lesotho in the long term. Procurement • 54 contracts have been awarded • The most recently awarded contract is for the construction of the Polihali Operations Centre to L&M – a joint venture between Lesotho’s LSP Construction and South Africaregistered Mofomo Construction. •M ain works milestones include the procurement of the contractors for the Polihali Dam, Polihali Transfer Tunnel and major bridges. The award of the contracts is expected this year.
• Recent advance infrastructure construction tenders awarded include those for the Katse Lodge and Katse Village upgrades, and the construction of the Polihali Village. Construction work has commenced on these two components. Polihali diversion tunnels The two diversion tunnels were constructed in preparation for the Polihali Dam construction and ahead of the appointment of the dam contractor. The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) celebrated the double breakthrough of the tunnels in August 2021, marking the completion of 1 870 m of excavation. Excavation inside the two Polihali diversion tunnels commenced in June 2020 and mostly advanced from the outlets. Construction was completed in November 2021. The contractor and consultant have demobilised from site. Bulk power The electrical infrastructure required for the Phase II development includes the construction of new substations, upgrading of existing Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC) substations, the construction of new power lines, and the diversion of the existing LEC 33 kV distribution network between Letšeng M AY / J U N 2022
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