Recently, on the Asi River in Kenya, the first phase of the dam project of the Kenya Swak Multi-purpose Water Conservancy Development Project undertaken by Energy China Gezhouba Group was successfully closed, which means that the project has officially entered a new stage of comprehensive construction of the main dam.

It is reported that dump trucks loaded with earth and rock materials drove from the stockyard to the cofferdam and dike, the sound of reeling is endless, busy and orderly. At 15:30, following the order of the on-site interception commander, the last truck of stones was discharged into Longkou. The Asi River was intercepted for the first time in history, and the turbulent river turned to the diversion tunnel. The crowd was full of joy and applause, celebrating the completion of the river closure.

Zhang Yijun, Minister Counselor of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, and Liu Huailiang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Company, attended the closure ceremony and delivered a speech. Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager Zhang Jun of the Company, Deputy General Managers You Xuhua and He Yongjun, Deputy General Managers of Luqiao Company Manager Luo Daxin and heads of relevant departments of the company's headquarters participated in the video. Kenyan National Water Conservancy and Irrigation and Health Ministry, Ministry of Finance, relevant officials of the county government where the project is located, and major Kenyan and Chinese media were invited to participate in the closure ceremony.

Minister Counselor Zhang Yijun witnessed the whole process of the closure of the dam, congratulated on the successful closure of the dam, expressed cordial condolences to the staff of the project department and best wishes for the new year.

Public Counselor Zhang Yijun's video witnessed the successful closure

Liu Huailiang said that since the start of the Swak Dam project on March 27, 2018, it has received great attention and great help from the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Kenya. The good performance of the project embodies the hard work and sweat of all the builders. Dam closure is an important milestone in the implementation process of hydropower projects. It is of great significance. It marks a new stage of project construction. In the new year, Energy China Gezhouba Group will continue to strictly prevent and control the new crown epidemic and organize carefully Construction, high standards and high quality promote the implementation of the project, and contribute to the economic and social development of Kenya.

The person in charge of the Swak project stated that he will thoroughly practice the five-one concept, mobilize all resources, carefully plan, organize scientifically, and complete the main dam project with high efficiency, and build the Swak multi-purpose water conservancy development project into a Kenyan project. The model project has set a benchmark in the industry, adding impetus to Kenya’s economic development, infrastructure construction and improvement of people’s living standards.

The Deputy Minister of Water Resources of Kenya, Joseph Irungu, sent a congratulatory letter to congratulate the successful closure of the project, and expressed his heartfelt gratitude and high respect for the outstanding contribution of the Chinese builders to Kenya's social and economic development. The closure of the project is a key node in the construction of the Swaker dam, which is of great significance and is a prerequisite for the smooth construction of the main body of the dam. Hope that the builders of China and Kenya will go all out to successfully complete the main body and remaining projects under the premise of ensuring safety, and realize the project completion on schedule.

The Swak Multi-purpose Water Conservancy Development Project is the flagship project of the Kenyan government's 2030 vision, and it is also Kenya's largest integrated water conservancy project under construction. The project is located one kilometer downstream of the confluence of the Asi River and Swak River at the junction of Makueni County and Kitui County in southeastern Kenya.

Since the epidemic, under the strong leadership of the company’s headquarters, the project department has overcome difficulties, insisted on no shutdown and no reduction in production, implemented the “twelve in place” requirements of China Energy Construction's production safety, flexibly organized construction activities, and fully implemented epidemic prevention and control. Construction safety precautions ensured the safe and orderly operations of more than 1,000 employees, striving to achieve the year-end closure target, and laid a solid foundation for the construction of the dam. Editor/He Yuting

On March 27, 2018, the owner of the Swak Dam project in Kenya issued a construction start order, marking the official start of the project

On August 20, 2018, the import and export open channel excavation

Excavation of the spillway on May 3, 2019

On June 30, 2019, the steel trestle transportation bridge connecting the left and right sides of the strait was officially opened to traffic

On July 17, 2019, the diversion tunnel officially entered

On December 25, 2020, the diversion tunnel will be fully connected

On February 16, 2021, the secondary lining concrete of the diversion tunnel began pouring

On June 2, 2021, the concrete of the first warehouse of the spillway began to be poured

On July 9, 2021, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta inspected the Swak Dam in Kenya

On November 3, 2021, Minister Counselor Zhang Yijun from the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Kenya went to Swak Dam to inspect and guide work

On December 31, 2021, the dam was successfully closed