Zambezi River Basin

The largest hydropower plant in the Zambezi basin is at Cahora Bassa, Mozambique. The plant, which generates

2 075 MW of electricity, is the second biggest in Africa after Aswan.

of which about 5 000 MW has been developed

(Tumbare 2004). More than half of this potential is

in Mozambique, about one-quarter in Zambia and

one-sixth in Zimbabwe (SADC and ZRA 2007).

The Cahora Bassa, Kariba and Kafue Gorge dams

provide the bulk of the basin’s hydropower,

generating 2 075 MW, 1 470 MW and 990 MW of

electricity, respectively (World Bank 2010).

The Kapichira Falls hydro station on the Shire

River in Malawi is one of the smallest power

stations in the Zambezi River Basin. The plant

generates 64 MW (World Bank 2010) but there

are plans to double output. Other smaller hydro

plants are Nkula Falls and Tedzani in Malawi and

Victoria Falls in Zambia, which generate 124

MW, 90 MW and 108 MW, respectively (World

Bank 2010).