Delays in construction of electricity transmission lines in Zambia

Abstract

Electricity is central to the development of any economy and in Zambia most of this energy is generated from hydropower plants. Projects for construction of electricity Transmission lines are often delayed therefore some towns which were not connected to the national grid are underdeveloped because of limited capacity of the diesel generators which were used for power generation. Delays in construction of electricity transmission lines in the energy sector is a challenge faced globally. A study was undertaken to establish the causes of delays in the construction of electricity transmission lines in Zambia and recommendations were made for practices that could be used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency in the management of electricity transmission line projects. The Research methods adopted for the study include; a comprehensive literature review, structured interviews and a questionnaire survey. Purposive sampling was also conducted with project managers and engineers. The main findings in the study were that; at project approval stage the ministry of Justice was involved, however the Government bureaucracy delayed the review of the draft contract. During execution of the project three factors came into play, namely late advanced payment, poor financial management by the contractor and irregular payments to subcontractors. To address causes of the delay, a Real Time Project Management System Model was developed to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in the project delivery. Recommendations in the best practices include independence of the project manager in decision making, timely availability of financial resources and proper management of tax clearances issues.