The London and Johannesburg offices of leading international legal practice Norton Rose are advising Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) as sponsor of the Kariba South Power Station Extension project, in the Mashonaland West province of Zimbabwe.

The project is expected to cost around $500 million and will add 300 megawatts to the 750 megawatts already generated by Zimbabwe at the Kariba hydropower station on the Zambezi River.

Norton Rose is advising ZPC on all aspects of the project, including the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreement with Sinohydro, the Chinese hydropower and construction company, where signature was achieved on 20 December 2012. The extension is expected to take around three and a half years to build once the project has reached financial close.

London based projects partner Richard Metcalf is leading the team advising ZPC. London based partner Richard Hill and Johannesburg based partner Steven Gamble are also advising on the project.

Richard Metcalf, partner, Norton Rose, commented:

“The signature of this contract with a major international contractor like Sinohydro is a critical first step in Zimbabwe’s plans to expand its electricity supplies. Power shortages in the country and throughout the region have been a brake on economic development and this is a major step towards addressing that problem.”

The Kariba South Power Station Expansion project is one of a number of energy, infrastructure and mining projects Norton Rose is advising on in Zimbabwe, including ZPC’s 600MW Hwange Thermal Power Expansion project,

Gill Godlonton & Gerrans of Harare are providing Zimbabwe law advice, led by partner Sue Brighton.

http://www.nortonrose.com/news/74662/norton-rose-advises-zimbabwe-power…