Harare seeks Chinese aid to revive dam project near Victoria Falls

The stone-broke Harare government wants Chinese contractors to build a Three-Gorges type hydroelectric dam close to the ecologically sensitive Victoria Falls, one of the world's most spectacular scenic attractions.

The proposed Batoka project is expected to cost US$3 billion. Zimbabwe lacks the money, but hopes to convince 'potential foreign partners' to pay for the dam scheme.

Plans for the controversial dam date back to the early 1990s, but never came to fruition because of environmental and economic concerns. The dam also would need neighbouring Zambia's support, as the countries share the course of the upper reaches of the Zambezi River.

Now Zimbabwe plans to revive the project, this time with Chinese help.

Zimbabwe is desperately short of electricity-generation capacity. Power blackouts are routine in the capital, Harare, as the country lacks money to maintain its ageing equipment, let alone build new plants.

The country generates two-thirds of its power from coal-fired stations, and imports the rest from neighbouring countries. But the country's debt to these suppliers, chiefly South Africa, now stands at US$300 million, said Zimbabwean officials.

As a result, its power shortage threatens to become permanent and is choking the life out of an economy already on its deathbed.