Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme Zambezi River Authority Zambezi River Basin Introduction The hydropower resources of the Zambezi River Basin are central to sustaining economic development and prosperity across southern Africa. The combined GDP among the riparian states is estimated at over US$100 billion. With recognition of the importance of shared prosperity and increasing commitments toward regional integration, there is significant potential for collective development of the region’s rich natural endowments. Despite this increasing prosperity, however, poverty is persistent across the basin and coefficients of inequality for some of the riparian states are among the highest in Contents the world. Introduction .......................................................................................... 1 Reflecting the dual nature of the regional economy, new investments The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol ......................... 4 in large infrastructure co-exist alongside a parallel, subsistence economy that is reliant upon environmental services provided by the The Project ............................................................................................ 7 river. Appropriate measures are therefore needed to balance these The Process ........................................................................................... 8 mutual dependencies among different users within a sustainable guiding framework. Action Planning for Improved Sustainability ...................................... 10 Key Lessons Learned and Future Use of the Protocol ....................... 11 The Basin has close to 5,000 MW of installed hydropower generation capacity, with the potential approaching 15,000 MW. Development of the hydropower sector according to the generation plan of the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) would include some 53 projects, over more than 15 years. If the full hydropower potential in the Zambezi River Basin was developed this would have the potential to In partnership: double the production of firm energy from 22,776 to around 43,000 GWh/year. Average energy production would also double from 30,000 to around 60,000 GWh/year due to the extension of existing facilities and the addition of new infrastructure. This is sufficient to meet all or most of the estimated 48,000 GWh/year demand of the riparian states. MBEZI 1 Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme 2 World Bank. 2010. The Zambezi River Basin: A Multi-Sector Investment Opportunities Analysis - Summary Report. World Bank. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/2958 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.” Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme Hydropower Facilities in the Zambezi River Basin Source: SADC and ZRA, 2007. Rapid Assessment Report: Source: SADC/SARDC and others, 2012. Zambezi River Basin Atlas Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy for the of the Changing Environment. Zambezi River Basin. SADC Water Division, Gaborone. More than US$16 billion worth of investments have been identified facilities could increase firm energy production by seven percent at the pre-feasibility or feasibility stage of preparation within the over the current situation. The economic value of this basin-wide Zambezi River Basin1. Many of these proposed investments were cooperation in terms of additional generation, with minimal identified long ago and have been in the pipeline for several decades. investment, is estimated at over US$585 million over a 30-year In addition to the challenges of financial mobilization within period. numerous competing demands, the geo-political history and There are several additional benefits from improved cooperation contemporary transboundary nature of many of the resources beyond the energy sector. The gains from a coordinated basin-wide creates a complex environment within which to advance the program could increase agricultural production and job creation, sustainable development of common pool resources. reduce vulnerabilities to hydro-climatic shocks and promote deeper Cooperation around the development and operation of hydropower co-operation and regional integration. resources within the Zambezi River Basin has the potential to provide The results of a multi-sectoral investment analysis1 show that substantial benefits. improved cooperation around the development of planned The framework for this cooperation is provided by the eight riparian investments in the basin have the potential to double the area under states through the “Agreement on the Establishment of the Zambezi irrigation and provide more than 500,000 new jobs, while enhancing Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM)”. The ZAMCOM Agreement economic resilience by reducing the risks associated with floods that promotes the equitable utilization, efficient management, and generate estimated losses of over US$1 billion per year on average. sustainable development of the Zambezi River Basin. Realizing the The World Bank has been supporting a comprehensive program to vision within this agreement requires a combination of strong strengthen cooperative management and development within the institutions to drive the process, data collection and information Zambezi River Basin. This program provides regional financing and sharing to inform decision-making, and infrastructure investments to analytical work that brings together the various commitments within provide for people’s basic needs and boost economic growth within a World Bank-financed portfolio of more than US$2 billion to a sustainable framework. facilitate dialogue among the riparian states and further drive the In addition to the opportunities for cooperative development, it has development of climate-resilient water resources for sustainable been estimated that improved coordination in operation of the growth. hydropower facilities envisaged under the Southern African Power The application of the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Pool (SAPP) could provide an additional 23 percent of generation Protocol in the Zambezi River Basin represents part of this broader over uncoordinated (unilateral) operation. program of support to the riparian states toward enhancing Even in the absence of the full development scenarios outlined in the development outcomes through improved cooperation and SAPP, coordinated basin-wide operation of existing hydropower sustainable development. 1 The Zambezi River Basin: A Multi-Sector Investment Opportunities Analysis, Vol.1, Summary Report, The World Bank Africa Region, Water Resources Management, June 2010. 3 Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (‘the Protocol’) is a framework to compare the performance of hydropower projects using a defined set of globally-applicable sustainability criteria 2. These criteria encompass a range of environmental, social, technical, and financial issues and provide a shared language for improved dialogue on sustainable hydropower. The Protocol is the product of an intensive and transparent dialogue by the multi-stakeholder Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum (HSAF). Constituted in 2007, the HSAF included representatives from industry, civil society, donors, developing country governments, and commercial and development banks. Stakeholder views were solicited from over 20 countries involving 1,300 participants and pilot assessments carried out in 20 countries on six continents to reach consensus on the inclusion of aspects of sustainability and the definition of good and best practice. After completion of the Protocol, the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Council was established along with a “Management Entity” for day-to-day implementation of the Protocol. The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Council consists of seven sectoral chambers. Each chamber represents a segment of stakeholders and ensure continuity in the multi-stakeholder approach that was used to develop the Protocol. The Chambers all elect two representatives to a Protocol Governance Committee (PGC) that provides oversight to the Protocol and its management, while the International Hydropower Association (IHA) serves as the Management Entity (Figure 3). To reflect the different stages of hydropower development, the Protocol includes four assessment tools. These can be used separately with each corresponding to stages of project development, including: 1) the Early Stage; 2) the Preparation Stage; 3) Implementation; and, 4) Operation. Each tool is made up of a set of sustainability topics of most relevance to that stage of the project, containing definitions of basic good practice and proven best practice for over 20 sustainability topics that combine environmental, social, technical, and economic/financial perspectives (Table 1). A Protocol assessment identifies gaps that can be addressed, promoting the continuous improvement of sustainability performance. An assessment provides a platform for dialogue with a range of stakeholders, either through the sharing of results or involvement in the assessment. These may be official assessments carried out by independent IHA-accredited assessors or through informal or self-assessments (Box 1). To date, over 25 official assessments have been conducted on projects with capacities from 3 to 14000 MW, in all regions of the world. 2 Further information on the Protocol and its governance can be found on www.hydrosustainability.org 4 Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme List of Protocol Topics: Sustainability Topics Preparation Implementation Operation Technical Siting and Design ● Hydrological Resource ● ● Demonstrated Need and Strategic Fit ● Infrastructure Safety ● ● ● Asset reliability and efficiency ● Environmental Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Management ● ● ● Erosion and Sedimentation ● ● ● Water Quality ● ● ● Waste, noise and air quality ● Reservoir Planning / Preparation and Filling / Management ● ● ● Downstream Flow Regimes ● ● ● Biodiversity and Invasive Species ● ● ● Social Communications and Consultation ● ● ● Project Benefits ● ● ● Project Affected Communities and Livelihoods ● ● ● Cultural Heritage ● ● ● Indigenous Peoples ● ● ● Resettlement ● ● ● Public Health ● ● ● Labor and Working Conditions ● ● ● Business and Financial Viability ● ● ● Economic Economic Viability ● Procurement ● ● - Governance ● ● ● 5 Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme Box 1. Ways of Using the Protocol Official assessment. This is an assessment conducted by a team of independent IHA-accredited assessors. Assessments rely on objective evidence to support findings that are factual, reproducible, and verifiable. At the end of an assessment, the assessors deliver a report using an approved format, including a set of scores indicating performance in relation to basic good practice and proven best practice. Reports are delivered in English, but can be translated. Informal self-assessment. This is an assessment conducted internally within an organization. If the Protocol is used informally in this way, the report can be in any language, a shorter version of Structure of the Hydropower Assessment Council the report could be used, or only specific topics assessed. If made public, the report is required to carry a disclaimer stating that it is not an official assessment, in keeping with the Protocol’s Terms and Conditions. Assisted self-assessment. This is an informal self-assessment, but accredited assessors work with the developer or operator to advise them on how to interpret and use the Protocol. Using the findings of an assisted self-assessment, assessors can work with the developers, to identify an action plan, setting out the actions they will take to improve sustainability. This approach is very useful for capacity-building, or in situations where the project may have many gaps compared to the Protocol’s basic good practice. Verification. An alternative to the assisted self-assessment is for Accredited Assessors to provide a verification of an internal self- assessment. This would require translation of the report into English and stakeholder interviews carried out by the accredited assessor. This process would deliver a critical review of the assessment report and verification of its findings. Templates for basic good practice only. IHA is currently developing approved templates for conducting assessments that focus only on the environmental, social and governance topics at the basic good Source: Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol, 2017 practice level. The intention is that assessments can be conducted http://hydrosustainability.org at lower cost due to this lower scope. Checklists. A further option is to develop and use shorter checklists based on the protocol that can be applied quickly and with minimal effort. Guidance. At the most basic level, the Protocol can be used as a guidance document. For example, government agencies can use it to understand the range of hydropower sustainability issues, or the operator’s personnel can refer to it in their day-to-day work, for example in developing terms of reference for an EIA. 6 Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme The Project The Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme (HES) is one of a number of hydropower investments conceived as part of a cascade along the Project Batoka Gorge Zambezi River. The dam is proposed along the main stem of the river approximately 50 km downstream of Mosi-oa-Tunya (Victoria Falls) Country Zambia and Zimbabwe and upstream of the existing Kariba Dam Hydro-Electric Scheme. Zambezi River, downstream of Location The project was first identified in 1972 as a result of a study by the Victoria Falls Central African Power Corporation (CAPCO), which sought to Capacity 2400 MW establish possible power sources that could be developed to meet the power demands of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Further studies in the Annual generation (GWh/year) 10,215 GWh per year 1980s focused on a preferred site 12 km upstream of the 1972 site with further feasibility and environmental studies conducted Developer / operator Zambezi River Authority throughout the 1990s. In 20143 an update to the engineering assessment and an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Dam height 181 m (ESIA) were launched. The Batoka Gorge HES is proposed to include a 181 meter high, and Length at crest 720 m 720 meter long roller-compacted concrete (RCC) gravity arch dam with a radial-gated spillway. Four intakes in the reservoir will take Reservoir area 23 km2 water through four tunnels (each tunnel would be approximately one Two plants of 6 x 200 MW for kilometer in length) to two surface power plants downstream of the Units (number, type, MW) total of 2,400 MW dam on either side of the river bank. The power stations would have Associated infrastructure: Enabling infrastructure, access an installed capacity of 1,200 MW each for a total installed capacity road(s) (length) roads, of 2,400 MW. At the full supply level of 762 mASL, the reservoir is estimated to store 1.39 billion cubic meters of water and have a Associated infrastructure: 330kV in Zambia and 400kV in surface area of 23 square kilometers. transmission line(s) Zimbabwe It is envisaged that the Batoka Gorge HES would be implemented The Batoka Gorge HES is a bilateral project between Zambia and over a 7-year period. The total cost for the proposed program is Zimbabwe, configured along the same lines as the Kariba Dam HES. estimated to be in the order of US$1.5 billion for the dam and The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) is mandated with preparation of US$1.1 billion for the costs associated with the two power stations, the project in cooperation with ZESCO, the national power utility in transmission and electro-mechanical equipment. This does not Zambia, and the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC). The power plants include annual operational costs or financing costs. would be developed by the utilities through Special Purpose Vehicles (“SPVs”) while the dam would be owned and operated by ZRA. The Proposed location of the Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme World Bank is supporting preparation through a grant from the multi- donor trust fund for Cooperation in International Waters in Africa (CIWA). The ZRA is a corporation jointly and equally owned by the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe with responsibility for the development and management of the shared sections of the Zambezi River between the two countries. ZRA is governed by a Council of Ministers consisting of four government ministers (i.e. Zambian and Zimbabwean energy and finance ministers). A Board oversees operations and is comprised of the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of Energy and Finance, along with two independent Board members from each of the contracting states. In Zimbabwe, the project falls within the province of Matabeleland North and in the Hwange Rural District. In Zambia, the main project areas fall under the Southern Province in the Kazungula District. Photo credit: Douglas Smith Other project affected areas may include those in Livingstone District, Zimba District and Choma District with downstream impacts in the District of Kalomo. 3 Zambezi River Basin Development Project. World Bank Project Appraisal Document (2014) http://projects.worldbank.org/P133380?lang=en 7 Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme The Process ZRA assessed the Batoka Gorge HES using the Preparation stage tool ZRA’s objectives of the assessment of the Protocol. This was an assisted self-assessment with advice and support for the assessment provided by accredited assessors through a World Bank-supported program ‘Application of the - To benchmark the proposed project implementation activities to Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol in the Zambezi River international Basic Good Practice and/or Proven Best Practice that Basin’. Technical consulting services were provided by the will ensure the sustainable implementation of the Batoka Gorge International Hydropower Association (IHA). Hydro-Electric Scheme The program consisted of introductory training, detailed training for - To enhance the risk identification and management mechanism as the ZRA team, the assessment (including support during interviews well as capture opportunities offered by the project in order to and a site visit from accredited assessors), and review of ZRA’s draft optimize corporate image and maximize stakeholder support report by the accredited assessors. Table 3 provides a summary of the process and the people involved. - To build internal capacity for the implementation of the Protocol This was the first application of the Protocol by ZRA. The process - To utilize the Protocol in reviewing the implementation and involved collection of verbal, visual and documentary evidence to management of the BGHES ESIA studies with a goal of developing a appraise project processes and performance against the Protocol’s robust and sustainable environmental and social impact plan that Preparation tool scoring criteria. ensures stakeholder support, regulatory approval and environmental The assessment team conducted interviews in Lusaka, Livingstone, and social sustainability of project activities and Kazungula in Zambia, and Victoria Falls and Hwange in Zimbabwe. Interviews covered the views of the developer, - To utilize the Protocol to enhance corporate governance in ZRA for employees, local government, and affected communities. For every the development and implementation of the BGHES. topic, the assessors sought to interview those with the responsibilities and most direct understanding of the issues. Upstream of the Batoka Gorge HES. Photo Credit: Marcus Wishart 8 Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme Table 3. Key dates and participants Location and key dates Introductory training Livingstone, 31st May – 1st June 2016 ZRA detailed training Lusaka, August 2016 Assessment September 2016 to March 2017 First experience-sharing workshop January 2017 Mid-assessment visit (interviews, site visit) 30th January – 3rd February 2017 Draft report completed October 2017 Second experience-sharing workshop August 2017 Final report completed November 2017 Third experience-sharing workshop December 2017 Who was involved? ZRA’s internal client for the assessment Christopher Chisense, Director for Water Resources and Environmental Management ZRA’s Lead Assessor Boniface Mfula, Senior Manager (Water Resources and Environmental Management) ZRA’s Assessors Mavis Nawa (Water Resources Officer), Samuel Mwale (Hydrology Technician), Pherry Mwiinga (Hydrologist), and Chrispin Namakando (Water Resources Engineer) Interviewees About twelve interviews were held in Zambia and Zimbabwe with local communities in the project area, with local government representatives, and with local stakeholders such as tourism authorities Accredited Assessors Doug Smith, IHA Consultant Observers Kimberly Lyon, Cecil Nundwe and Marcus Wishart of the World Bank 9 Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme Action Planning for Improved Sustainability The assisted self-assessment of Batoka Gorge HES was an stakeholders. There were also gaps related to the delays in the ESIA opportunity for ZRA to understand how the project preparation was and resettlement planning processes. progressing in relation to international good practice and to identify areas where improvements could be introduced. It was also an An Action Plan has been prepared by ZRA to address the priority opportunity for hands-on training in the Hydropower Sustainability gaps. This is focused initially on those gaps against Basic Good Assessment Protocol. Practice before looking at gaps at Proven Best Practice. The results of the self-assessment, though unofficial, are useful in highlighting areas for management attention and actions that can be taken to improve the project during preparation. The following results are preliminary and are based on the self-assessment by ZRA and feedback from the Accredited Assessors. ZRA’s internal team of assessors, with guidance from Accredited Assessors, determined that the Preparation Stage tool was most appropriate. ZRA’s team of assessors determined that the Batoka Gorge HES project met or exceeded the criteria of Basic Good Practice for five topics so far: P-3 Demonstrated Need and Strategic Fit; P-4 Siting and Design; P-7 Hydrological Resource; P-11 Economic Viability; and P-17 Cultural Heritage. For many of the topics that the assessors determined gaps against Basic Good Practice, these were related to communications and stakeholder engagement. This included both internal and external An interview during the assessment for the Batoka Gorge HES. Photo credit: Douglas Smith Table 4. Initial draft of the Action Plan for the Batoka Gorge HES Significant Gaps Actions P-1 Communications and There is no programme to maintain and sustain Review the 2014 stakeholder engagement plan Consultation stakeholder engagement with respect to feedback mechanism (including review of interim notification plan & process) Develop a stakeholder engagement framework that goes beyond the ESIA process to cover the project life span. There are no plans that outline communication and Review the adequacy of stakeholder mapping consultation needs and approaches for various report (stakeholder engagement plan, public stakeholder groups and topics. participation and identifying interests of specific groups). P-5 Environmental and ESIA review deliverables not benchmarked and Utilise the topics under the Protocol to identify gaps Social Impact Assessment aligned with the Protocol in the ESIA report and revise the ESIA report and Management accordingly. P-6 Integrated Project Scheduling challenges with regards to inter- Review the project governance structure and Management dependent deliverables for ESIA and EFS's. synchronise inter-dependent activities. P-20 Erosion and No framework to avoid, minimize, mitigate and Carry out bathymetric survey and confirm Sedimentation compensate erosion and sedimentation issues due to sedimentation profiles. project activities. Disclaimer: This assessment is an unofficial assessment as it does not comply with the necessary terms required of an Official assessment. The results of this assessment do not necessarily reflect the quality required of an Official assessment and may not be an accurate reflection of the sustainability of the assessed project. 10 Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme Key Lessons Learned and Future Use of the Protocol It can also be a challenge for operator/developer staff to interview external stakeholders as these stakeholders can be genuinely Choice of tool confused about the purpose of the interview. In the affected The ZRA team used the Preparation Stage tool for the assessment of communities, for example, an interview for a Protocol assessment the Batoka Gorge HES and prepared a report similar to an official can draw large groups from the community, who are interested to assessment. This includes a substantial project description, and learn about project progress or who have unresolved issues to raise. findings on both basic good practice and proven best practice for This can be very helpful to the assessor to get inputs from several each topic. different stakeholders at one time, but it can also make it difficult to ask follow-up questions, and there may not be enough time to get Auditing or self-assessment? through the range of questions the assessor prepared in advance. The support to the application of the Protocol in the Zambezi River Conducting interviews for a Protocol assessment is a skill, which Basin was deliberately structured around self-assessment coupled improves with practice. Throughout the process, many of the with training and capacity building. The team conducting the assessors proved that they were excellent interviewers by preparing assessment was drawn from staff involved in the review of outputs questions related to the Protocol’s criteria in advance, asking follow- from the preparatory studies for Batoka Gorge HES. This contrasts up questions, identifying documentary evidence during the with the approach of other utilities, such as ZESCO, whose team interviews, and summarizing the key points carefully at the close of more resembled a corporate auditing team not involved in the the interview. It also helps to explain as clearly as possible the operations. purpose of the interview and encourage interviewees to express Availability of information their views openly. The success of the assessment relies on the availability of Combining training and assessment information. In a preparation stage assessment, the project’s Continuity is important to sustaining the process and building environmental and social impact assessments, environmental capacity. There were long periods between the initial training and management plans, and resettlement or land acquisition plans are the mid-assessment visit by Accredited Assessors (which coincided key items of documentary evidence. The availability of the yet-to-be- with site-based interviews), as well as between the mid-assessment completed ESIA, management plans, and resettlement plans has and delivery of the report. While intended to allow time for analysis implications for the findings and the team’s ability to provide in- of information and preparation of reports, future self-assessments depth evaluation in the case of the Batoka Gorge HES. should consider an initial round of internal interviews that can be Delivering a full assessment report requires dedicated effort arranged quickly immediately following the training on the Protocol. The site visit and interviews with external stakeholders can then be Producing a full assessment report proved to be challenge. Unlike an arranged later to maintain momentum and distribute commitments official assessment with dedicated Accredited Assessors, a self- over time. assessment often relies on the developer’s or operator’s own staff to take on the role of internal assessor in addition to their normal Objectivity responsibilities. In the case of the self-assessments under the It is inevitable in a self-assessment or internal audit that there would Zambezi River Basin Program, all the operators chose to prepare be some loss of objectivity compared to an independent official substantial assessment reports in a style similar to an official assessment. There was a tendency to over-score and significant gaps assessment. While this helps the operators gain a deeper against basic good practice were reported against proven best understanding of the Protocol and how to carry out an assessment, practice in order to deliver a higher score. This may be driven partly it may not be practical to do this on a continuous basis. This points by the possibility of the assessors’ reluctance to present critical to the need for a more concise, checklist style of reporting rather findings to their managers or to question the project. Solutions to than a long and detailed full assessment report, particularly if it is to this may include: review of the assessment reports by Accredited form the basis of a regular reporting tool. Assessors; review of initial drafts by a second internal assessor; and Interviews require good preparation careful selection of the assessors, among others. In a Protocol assessment, assessors arrive at credible findings by Future use of the Protocol collecting different types of evidence, including interviewing a As part of the continued application of the Protocol in the Zambezi diverse group of stakeholders. Project staff are among the most River Basin, a number of follow-up activities have been proposed: important stakeholders as they are most knowledgeable about the project. During the self-assessments, the internal assessors needed  Development of annual project performance summaries across to interview project staff, including their own colleagues and the basin for discussion within the JOTC and ZAMCOM; sometimes their superiors. This can be challenging, especially on  Review and integration of elements from the Protocol in topics the interviewers are themselves very knowledgeable as their Environmental and Social Management Systems; questions can give the impression they do not already know the  Undertaking official assessments for existing facilities under answers. This can pose a risk of embarrassment and make it difficult operation; to ask critical questions.  Integrating elements of the Protocol into the assessments and management plans for new projects. 11 Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol: Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme Acknowledgements This assisted self-assessment was carried out as part of a broader World Bank Technical Assistance program in the Zambezi River Basin and was led by a team from the Global Water Practice, including: Marcus Wishart (Team Leader), Kimberly Lyon (Water Resources Analyst), and Cecil Nundwe (Water Resources Specialist). Technical services were provided by the International Hydropower Association Sustainability Ltd. with training and facilitation by Douglas Smith (Accredited Assessor), Aida Khalil (Accredited Assessor), under the guidance of Frank Faraday (Sustainability Program Manager), and Cameron Ironside (Sustainability Director). The Joint Operations Technical Committee of Dam Operators in the Zambezi River Basin (ZAMDO-JOTC) is acknowledged for providing a forum for regional collaboration on issues relating to hydropower sustainability in the Zambezi River Basin. The program was only possible because of the interest and enthusiasm of the members of the ZAMDO-JOCT, including the participating dam operators: the Zambezi River Authority, ZESCO, and Hidroeléctrica Cahora Bassa, along with other contributing stakeholders in the basin, including: the Zambian Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA), Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), Administração Regional de Águas do Zambeze (ARA-Zambeze) in Mozambique, and the Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) Secretariat. The team from the Zambezi River Authority who carried out this assessment of the Batoka Gorge Hydroelectric Scheme was comprised of Mr. Boniface Mfula (Sr. Manager, Water Resources and Environmental Management); Mr. Pherry Mwiinga (Hydrologist); Mrs. Mavis Nawa (Water Resources Office); Mr. Chrispin Namakando (Water Resources Engineer); and Mr. Samuel Mwale (Hydrologist Technician). The assessment was carried out with the support and guidance of Eng. Munyaradzi Munodawafa (Chief Executive) and Christopher Chisense (Director, Water Resources and Environmental Management). This program was financed through a grant from Sweden to the Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project and the Water Partnership Program as part of the broader Zambezi River Basin Program convened through the multi-donor trust fund for Cooperation in International Waters in Africa (CIWA). World Bank. 2018. Zambezi Hydropower Sustainability Protocol Assessment: The Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme. Washington, DC: World Bank. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/574651518042899815/Batoka-Gorge-Hydro-Electric-Scheme © 2018 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. Some rights reserved. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. This work is subject to a CC BY 3.0 IGO license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo). The World Bank does not necessarily own each component of the content. It is your responsibility to determine whether permission is needed for reuse and to obtain permission from the copyright owner. If you have questions, email pubrights@worldbank.org. 12