By Our Reporter
After several months of a lull, concrete works have resumed at the 600MW Karuma Hydropower project. Works had been halted to examine probable causes and definitive remedies for cracks that had been identified in the dam section of the project.
The Government implementing agency for the project, Uganda Electricity Generation Company (UEGCL), as well as the contractor Sinohydro Corporation from China partnered in finding teams of experts, both local and international to get a solution to the glitch. Key inputs from the experts included reducing the temperature of the concrete during placement as well as improvement on the placement methods, which demanded the use of agitator trucks. A cooling plant has since been installed on site to ensure concrete is placed at 20 degrees Celsius.
Having rectified the cracks, concrete works in the Power House section began early this year using the prescribed concreting methods. Sinohydro has so far completed over 95% of the tunneling excavation and is currently concreting the tunnel.
Allan Chekwech Steps into Daniel Kalinaki's Big Shoes at NMG UgandaOn-going concreting activity at the project.
Karuma Hydro Power station shall include an underground section containing the Power House, Surge Chamber, Transformer tavern, inlet and tailrace tunnels. The US$ 1.7 billion (approximately Ushs 6 trillion) is expected to be commissioned in December 2018. So far, the project is at slightly over 50% completion.
“This is a massive achievement in very difficult conditions and shows the seriousness of Sinohydro Corporation to deliver this critical project,
