12 Mar 2018

Project director of Larsen and Toubro Power Transmission and Distribution Company, Mr Samsuddin Batcha, has assured the Central District Council of their commitment in ensuring that the North West Transmission Grid is completed on time.

Mr Batcha said this in a presentation to the Central District Council about their plans on the project. He said their company had a reputation of completing projects on time, therefore he assured timely completion without compromise of quality and specification, adding that they were already on-site and preparing to be on full swing in April, to complete in October 2020. 

The North West Transmission Grid is a P4.6 billion investment project by the Government of Botswana handled by Botswana Power Corporation. 

“This project is one of the biggest infrastructure programmes of government. 

The project will be implemented in two phases, creating employment for 2 100 people in each phase during the period of construction, with about 81 per cent being local citizens,” he said.

He said upon completion, the project will provide grid access to all sectors of the economy and improve the quality of electricity supply in the north western part of the country thus reducing dependency on power import from neighbouring countries. 

“We have been contracted to do design, supply, installation, construction, testing and commissioning of 530 kilometre 400kV power line which starts at Morupule B to Mawana and a substation at Mawana (near Maun).  He noted that the project scope incorporated the 240km of 400kV transmission line Morupule B - Letlhakane and a 17kM 220kV transmission line from Letlhakane – Orapa. And a 297 km of 400 kV transmission line from Letlhakane substation to Mawana substation, Mawana 400/220/132/33kV substation and associated works.

“In terms of project construction, installation and other services, we are committed to engage most (if not all) of the construction works by Batswana owned, competent, subcontractors,” he said.

He however noted that, subcontractor competency will be evaluated on the basis of technical knowledge and experience in similar works within the engineering discipline that is related to the scope of work.

“Subcontractor capability will be evaluated in light of the availability and serviceability of equipment and other resources to perform the work during the period the work is expected to take place,” he said.

Mr Batcha further indicated that, as the main contractor, they would deploy highly qualified and experienced supervisors and engineers to monitor and advise the subcontractor and to ensure that all quality controls were done and standards were met.

In response to the remarks made by Boteti Sub-district councillor, Mr Matshwenyego Shaka, in which he wanted to know if there were processes in place to monitor and make sure that the sub-contractors paid their workers, Mr Batcha confirmed that they were going to monitor and ensure that sub-contractors paid their workers.

Mr Shaka said, as councillors they were concerned about sub-contractors who usually employed the local community, and failed to  pay them for their services. Ends