Malawian president cuts ribbon for Kapichira Hydropower Station Phase II Project

Updated: 2014-01-23

On January 17th local time, a grand ceremony for the commencement of operation of Kapichira Hydropower Station Phase II Project was held simultaneously on the station site and in Bwalo town 4 km away from the station.

Joyce Banda, President of the Republic of Malawi, attended and chaired the celebrations. Also present at the event were Malawian Vice President Kumbo Hastings Kachali, the Minister of Energy of Malawi, the Board Chairman and General Manager of Malawi National Power Corporation, Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Pan Hejun and nearly one thousand local people.

CGGC International Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer Wang Yimin attended the ceremony on behalf of CGGC. A number of local media organizations sent reporters to cover the celebrations and the local TV station MBC made a live broadcast.

At Kapichira Hydropower Station, President Banda cuts the ribbon to mark the beginning of power generation of Phase II Project.

At Kapichira Hydropower Station, President Banda cut the ribbon to mark the beginning of power generation of Phase II Project. He started No. 3 Unit via a computer and gave his autograph. The President inspected the station’s main transformer, GIS switching station and dam, and then drove 4 km to the town of Bwalo, where colorful flags were flying and beautifully dressed local people were celebrating the event.

CGGC International Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer Wang Yimin, the Board Chairman of Malawi National Power Cooperation, the Malawian Electric Power Minister and President Banda delivered a speech respectively.

In his speech, Wang Yimin thanked President Banda, Malawi State Ministry of Energy, Malawi State Power Corporation and the local people for their assistance and support to Phase II Project of Kapichira Hydropower Station, and expressed his hope for further cooperation with the Malawian government on subsequent projects.

Board Chairman of Malawi National Power Corporation, the Malawian Electric Power Minister and President Banda highly appreciated CGGC’s hard work and earlier-than-schedule completion of the project.

On January 18th Wang Yimin paid an official visit to President Banda. The two sides reviewed the pleasant cooperation in the construction of Phase II Project of Kapichira Hydropower Station, exchanged views on the progress of follow-up projects and discussed the plan for future work.

As an EPC turnkey project contracted by CGGC, Phase II Project of Kapichira Hydropower Station is located on the Shire River, the only river connected to Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa 70 km southwest of Blantyre, the biggest city of the Republic of Malawi.

The project mainly involves two 32000 kilowatt Francis Type water turbine-generator units and subsidiary mechanical and electrical equipment, as well as the design, procurement, installation, construction, debugging and commissioning of a 20km-long 132kV transmission line. The total project duration as stipulated in the contract was 36 months.

The Project was completed more than two months ahead of contract schedule, establishing a good social image of CGGC in Malawi and winning unanimous praise from both the government and the local people.