Electric Utility Technical Assistance Advisory Project

The four long-term advisors were assigned to head the divisions inside the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) responsible for System Planning, Tariff Planning, Financial Planning and Transmission Operations and Maintenance. The four advisors were assigned Zimbabwean Counterparts and their goal was to train and eventually to transfer authority for their respective divisions' affairs to the Counterparts. This goal was successfully attained within the time period allocated.

Additional services were provided by short-term advisors from Manitoba Hydro:

• The Training Specialist assisted the Project Manger in the planning and implementation of the many facets of the overall training and technology transfer program and together with the Advisors, helped conduct the training needs assessment before recommending the detailed training program.
• Several engineers and other senior planning executives from ZESA were given training in Winnipeg. They included ZESA's Corporate Planning Manager, Chief Financial Planner, Chief System Planner, System Planning Research Engineer, and Chief Transmission (Ops) Engineer.
• A Manitoba Hydro specialist in live-line maintenance traveled to Zimbabwe to assess the utility's live-line maintenance, equipment and training needs. From the assessment, live-line maintenance equipment has been specified and purchased for ZESA. Manitoba Hydro then delivered a live-line maintenance training program to ZESA linemen in Zimbabwe.
• A Seminar in "cost of service studies" was delivered in Zimbabwe to tariff planning personnel by a Manitoba Hydro rates specialist.
• Two Manitoba Hydro Transmission Planning engineers delivered a one month seminar to ZESA System Planning staff on system loadflow and dynamic stability studies using Power Technologies Inc. software, PSS/E.
• A Manitoba Hydro expert in System Control Operations conducted a study of the interconnected system operations of the Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia system control centres. A comprehensive report was issued with recommendations dealing with trading regimes, automatic generation control, operator training and selection criteria, and reliability standards and requirements was issued.
• A Procurement Specialist handled the procurement of computers and office equipment and other goods required to support this Project.