Zambia, Zimbabwe Revive $5B Dam Plan with Congo Water Bid

Zambia and Zimbabwe are intensifying efforts to revive the $5 billion Batoka Gorge hydropower project by courting investors and reconsidering a controversial plan to divert water from the Congo River. The 2,400 MW project, delayed since 2020, faces steep financing challenges due to both countries’ debt crises. A new bidding round is expected by September 2025. The proposed Congo River diversion aims to stabilize Lake Kariba’s water levels amid worsening droughts but poses engineering and energy obstacles. With Kariba already strained and regional power needs growing, the success of this initiative hinges on investor confidence, debt restructuring, and regional cooperation.

Business Insider Africa