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Chapter 3: Engineered Water
FIGURE 3.3: SOUTH AFRICA’S CURRENT OPERATIONAL HYDROPOWER CAPACITY AT LARGE DAMS
Lesotho Highlands Water Project: Phase II
South African
Government has
approved the
second phase of
the project at an
estimated cost of
R9.3 billion
The South African Government is negotiating the second phase of the project at an
estimated cost of R9.3 billion (2010 price levels) for the water transfer segment.
Phase II includes the construction of the Polihali Dam, a transfer tunnel from
Polihali Dam to the Katse Dam, advanced infrastructure, and environmental and
social development programmes in Lesotho.
Phase II will also include a pump storage scheme to generate 1,200 MW of electricity
using the existing Katse Reservoir as the lower reservoir and a new upper reservoir
in the Kobong Valley, or any other similar scheme close to Katse Dam. The pump
storage scheme will start generating electricity in January 2018. The estimated cost
of the pump storage scheme is R7.6 million (2010 price levels) and will be borne by
Lesotho.
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42 | Water Facts & Futures: Rethinking South Africa’s Water Future