West Lunga
Hydropower Cascade.
A planned renewable generation programme along the West Lunga River near Mwinilunga in Zambia’s North-Western Province.
Four sites.
One cascade.
At pre-feasibility stage, four hydropower sites were identified along approximately 100 km of the West Lunga River. Synergy secured feasibility and development rights for the identified sites from the Government of Zambia and has led the development process from site identification through detailed feasibility.
The project is beyond concept stage: rights, feasibility, approvals and financing work have all advanced.
A real development programme with work completed on the ground.
The technical programme has included hydrology, topographical and LiDAR surveys, geotechnical work, environmental studies, engineering optimisation and power-evacuation assessment.
Development rights secured
Synergy obtained feasibility and development rights for the identified West Lunga hydropower sites from the Ministry of Energy.
Detailed feasibility completed
Rankin Engineering Consultants completed detailed feasibility work covering the initial scheme and supporting investigations.
Feasibility approved
The Ministry of Energy reviewed and approved the feasibility study for the initial West Lunga project in May 2023.
Financing & partner process advanced
Standard Bank is mandated for equity and debt arranging, while Synergy is in advanced stages of securing a strategic equity partner with a proven project-development track record.
The feasibility work developed a physical scheme, not just a resource estimate.
Feasibility-stage engineering.
The initial project was optimised across a range of installed capacities and developed into a preliminary dam, intake, water-conveyance and powerhouse arrangement.
Feasibility-stage layout showing the dam and spillway area, water conveyance, powerhouse, switchyard and associated project infrastructure.
Public-facing technical figures are rounded to avoid mixing older 18.3/19.5 MW study labels with the current approximately 20 MW development definition.
What the feasibility study established.
The detailed study optimised the initial site across the 13-22 MW range and converged on an approximately 20 MW development concept.
Feasibility-stage earth embankment dam concept with clay core and gravel fill.
Approximate crest length developed for the selected feasibility layout.
Indicative reservoir extent under the feasibility-stage scheme.
Three Kaplan turbine units were selected for the optimised initial development.
Indicative net operating head used in the feasibility-stage generation model.
Approximate marketable annual generation under the feasibility study assumptions for the initial site.
A multi-disciplinary development programme was undertaken to establish technical viability and define the project.
Development work completed.
The project has been supported by field data, engineering studies and environmental work across the key disciplines required for a hydropower development.
Hydrology & river flow
River gauging, catchment assessment, hydrological modelling and power-production studies.
LiDAR & topography
Regional LiDAR, ground control, detailed topographical and bathymetric survey work.
Geotechnical investigations
Geotechnical and construction-material investigations to support preliminary dam and civil design.
Environmental & social
Environmental and social impact assessment work integrated into feasibility development.
Engineering optimisation
Dam layout, turbine selection, installed-capacity optimisation and preliminary project design.
Grid & power evacuation
Power-evacuation assessment with further detailed grid integration work forming part of the implementation stage.
A simplified public timeline showing the major project-development milestones.
From site identification to financing preparation.
GET FiT pre-qualification & detailed study launch
Synergy pre-qualified as a developer under Zambia’s GET FiT small-hydro programme and appointed Rankin Engineering Consultants to undertake the detailed feasibility programme.
Detailed feasibility completed
The main feasibility study consolidated hydrology, LiDAR and survey work, geotechnical investigations, preliminary engineering, generation optimisation and environmental studies.
Ministry of Energy approval
The Ministry of Energy reviewed and approved the feasibility study for the initial project and identified detailed grid integration and other implementation-stage engagements as next activities.
Standard Bank mandated
Standard Bank was mandated by Synergy for equity and debt arranging in relation to the approximately 20 MW West Lunga Phase 1 project.
Rights extended & cascade advanced
Development and feasibility rights were extended as Synergy continued advancing the wider four-site cascade and Phase 1 financing preparation.
Strategic equity process in advanced stages
Synergy is in advanced stages of securing a strategic equity partner with a proven track record to support the project through financial close, construction and operation.
Approximately 80 MW across four sites.
The initial project is intended to form the first stage of a wider cascade development. Current project material envisages four approximately 20 MW generating stations along the West Lunga River, with total estimated annual generation of approximately 500 GWh.
Synergy continues to advance the project with the objective of moving from development through financing and implementation with experienced strategic partners.
Discuss project development ↗