*To Remind,
Mpiana Mwanga Hydro Electric Power Plant (HEPP)
AVZ has through its 100% owned DRC based legal entity, AVZ Power SAU (AVZP), successfully negotiated and signed an MOU with the DRC government.
This MOU now grants AVZP the right to begin full studies into the redundant and abandoned Hydro Electric Power Plant (HEPP) located 87 km south east of Manono at a town called Mpiana Mwanga, which is situated on the Luvua river a large tributary of the upper Congo river further to the north.
The intent of the MOU is to progress the studies to a point where ownership of the HEPP will transfer to AVZP for operation by AVZP or homever AVZP engages to do so.
AVZ has commissioned a DFS report on the HEPP and has determined that the power plant can be refurbished and that it could operate viably. The DFS determined that the HEPP could
be refurbished for USD 50.5 M16, including high voltage (HV) substations, HV powerline and a
contingency and produce power at an operating cost of USD 0.04/kWh.
The timeline to complete the reconstruction is 18 months start to finish. The Capital will
procure the following:
• All design engineering, construction management and direct man hour costs
• Reconstruction of Mpiana Mwanga No2 (MP2)(3 x 10.3 MW Kaplan turbines with
alternators and control systems)
• Repair of all building, pen stock and general civil works
• Installation of 2 new HV substations inclusive of all HV transformers (at HEPP and in
Manono)
• Installation of a new 60 MW, 120 kV aluminium overhead powerline with insulators,
optical ground wire (OPGW) and monopoles from the new Mpiana Mwanga HV
substation to the new Manono HV substation (~87 km)
• Service road refurbishment from Manono to Mpiana Mwanga.
The HEPP facilities are old and consist of two powerhouses, Mpiana Mwanga No 1 (MP1) and
Mpiana Mwanga no 2 (MP2), independent of one another. MP2, the newer of the two
powerhouses (built circa 1952) has capacity for 3 Kaplan vertical axis turbines each capable
of producing 10.3 MW once retrofitted giving a total installed generation capacity of 30.9
MW. 10% power losses are anticipated between generation source and take off user end of
the 120 kVa HV overhead powerline.
MP1, the older of the two powerhouses (built circa 1932) has the capacity for 3 Francis vertical axis turbines each capable of producing 4.5 MW once retrofitted giving a total generation capacity of 13.5 MW should the current civil work be re utilised as is.
If the civil work was significantly modified, then this facility could potentially also provide 3 x 10.3 MW Kaplan vertical axis turbines.
This was not studied in detail in this DFS as the power generated from MP2 already meets the demand for this phase of the Manono project.
This option may become viable in Stage 3 of the Manono Lithium and Tin project when the Hydroxide plant is
planned for and will be re studied as part of that DFS.
Stage 1 of the Manono Lithium and Tin Project, i.e. a dense media separation (DMS) plant and
a primary lithium sulphate plant, requires a total installed power of circa 26.5 MW and a
demand load of 23 MW.
This indicates that the 3 x 10.3 MW turbines will generate more power than required for initial Stage 1 requirements, resulting in the understanding that two turbines will be run on duty and the third one is the unit on standby (2n+1).
Under Stage 1, i.e. two turbines in duty and the third in standby mode, the power generated will exceed the demand side usage and so the balance of the power will be offered to the local population through the SNEL grid for use in electrifying the towns of Mpiana Mwanga and Manono or any other off-takers that present themselves to SNEL.
Manono Project Definitive Feasibility Study
Projects Manono Project Technical Review
avzminerals.com.au
