Africa

Entura awarded contract to provide advisory services for 600-MW Karuma hydro project

Entura has received a contract from PowerChina Huadong to provide hydropower advisory services for the 600-MW Karuma hydro project being built in northern Uganda.
Entura awarded contract to provide advisory services for 600-MW Karuma hydro project

Entura has received a contract from PowerChina Huadong to provide hydropower advisory services for the 600-MW Karuma hydro project being built in northern Uganda.

Karuma is on the Victoria Nile River in Kiryadongo and Oyam districts about 15 km downstream of Karuma Falls. The project features a 314-m-long diversion weir with radial gates, six shafts and associated power tunnels leading to an underground powerhouse containing six 100-MW Francis turbine-generator units. Water exits the plant via two 8.6-km-long tailrace tunnels.

PowerChina Huadong is the lead designer for the project and SinoHydro is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor.

Entura, a power and water consulting firm, will assist PowerChina Huadong with managing a range of project stakeholders, undertaking design reviews, and advising on compliance with international standards, according to a press release.

“We are pleased to welcome Entura to the Karuma project team,” said Wu Haifeng, deputy design project manager for the Karuma project for PowerChina Huadong. “Entura brings a wealth of expertise in hydropower design and international standards, which will make an invaluable contribution to the delivery of this landmark project for the people of Uganda.”

The Karuma project is expected to be complete by the end of 2018 at a cost of about $2 billion. At that time it will be the largest power plant in Uganda and will provide about 50% of the country’s energy.

Entura is part of Hydro Tasmania.

In March 2015, HydroWorld.com reported that Alstom received the contract to provide equipment and technical services for Karuma.