Zambia and Zimbabwe are ramping up efforts to attract new investment into the long-delayed $5 billion Batoka Gorge hydropower project by reviving a controversial plan to draw water from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Zambezi River Authority, the joint agency managing the Kariba Dam on behalf of both nations, has assembled a dedicated team to pursue investor engagement for the proposed 2,400-megawatt plant.

Chief Executive Officer Munyaradzi Munodawafa said the goal is to secure funding within 12 to 18 months, depending on market conditions, investor sentiment, and continued bilateral support from both governments.

Initially scheduled to begin construction in 2020, the Batoka Gorge project has been stalled by financing issues and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a key development last year, Zambia canceled a 2019 contract awarded to General Electric Co. and China’s Power Construction Corp., citing procurement irregularities.

Despite these setbacks, both countries are pushing forward with plans to relaunch the project and expect to select new bidders by September 2025.

However, their efforts come at a time of deep financial strain: Zimbabwe is burdened by $21 billion in debt, while Zambia remains in default, still working to restructure its debt five years after missing payments.

To strengthen the Kariba Dam’s electricity generation capacity amid worsening droughts and unpredictable rainfall linked to climate change, Zambia and Zimbabwe are exploring a massive engineering solution, diverting up to 16 billion cubic meters (4.3 trillion gallons) of water per year from the Congo River.

The aim is to stabilize inflows into Lake Kariba, the world’s largest man-made reservoir, which provides around half of both nations’ electricity needs.

Yet, the proposed diversion faces significant technical and environmental challenges.

Pumping water uphill through difficult terrain would require substantial energy resources, and the project’s feasibility remains uncertain.

Lake Kariba’s declining water levels, driven by repeated El Niño-induced droughts, have been worsened by both Zambia and Zimbabwe exceeding their agreed water usage limits in recent years, further stressing the region’s power supply.