The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) is planning to paint tunnels of critical water and electricity infrastructure that supply both water and electricity in South Africa.
The implications of the maintenance will result in a shutdown of water for 6 months, from Phase I Water Transfer and Delivery Tunnels. This is water transferred from Katse to Muela, via a 45-km tunnel.
The LHDA said in a statement today, there would be no delivery of water from Lesotho to South Africa through a Delivery Tunnel, during planned maintenance.
Planned maintenance of the key components of the water delivery system, is scheduled for the 01 October 2024 until 31st March 2025.
This will also mean no electricity generation at the Muela Hydropower Station (MHP).
As per the provisions of the LHWP Treaty, the LHDA is responsible for the Transfer Tunnel and Delivery Tunnel South, which are situated within the Border of Lesotho and TCTA is responsible for the Delivery Tunnel North, which starts from the Caledon River to the Arsh River.
Speaking at the Press Conference held in Maseru today, LHDA’s Chief Executive, Tente Tente, said a site visit inspection, back in September to November 2019, revealed all sections of the tunnels with steel, need urgent painting.
LHDA said in a statement, its specialists advised that the tunnel could safely be operated for a period of around five (5) years (Say October 2019 to October 2024). Safe operation of the system significantly beyond the 5 years could not be guaranteed.
Reentseng Molapo, LHDA’s Divisional Manager for Development & Operations, said “the maintenance and repair work is expected to last about four months in total.
Preparations which include emptying of the tunnels will occupy the first month. Final inspections and refilling the tunnels with water, will take be done in the last month, making the total outage period to be six months.”
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