A new modest 50MW private thermal power plant has been completed in Hwange and is expected to start feeding the power into the national grid before year end.
Also under construction in the same district is a solar power plant which is ready to go online, pushing 5MW into the grid, within a fortnight. The construction of the small power station by Zimbabwe Zhongxin Electrical Energy (ZZEE), situated about 10km west of Hwange town is now 100 percent complete with work on the substation 99 percent complete. The company is now waiting for the arrival of isolator equipment, which is set to be dispatched from
Some equipment for the required 800kV high voltage line is now in
About 80km south east of Hwange town is the Solgas Solar Plant, whose first phase will see 5MW being fed into the national grid soon, with 10MW more expected in the second stage where work starts soon.
ZZEE plans to roll-out two larger 135MW plants in the second phase starting early next year while the third phase, which is expected to be completed in 2025, will result in construction of two plants, each with a capacity of 300MW and fed into the national grid as the company works in partnership with
The 50MW first phase is still the largest private station in
Energy and Power Development Minister Soda Zhemu, toured the two projects on Thursday and commended the private power producers for complementing Government efforts to provide efficient energy as well as improve livelihoods.
Minister Zhemu said communities around the projects will benefit through employment, electricity access and more business.
While the ZZEE project will be the first privately owned thermal plant in the country, the
"In terms of the mechanical plant, we are 100 percent done and what is outstanding is the substation and isolator which is at 99 percent," said ZZEE general manager Mr
Designs for the next plant to be located just behind the first plant under the second phase have been approved in
The plant will produce 270MW and will have a separate power line. The third phase will begin thereafter and will feed 600MW into the grid by 2025.
ZZEE is using modern thermal power technology, with the whole project occupying a relatively small piece of land compared to the giant
There is a computerised control room from where the plant will be monitored. About 50 Zimbabweans and 90 Chinese artisans are employed at the plant. At
The company partnered
"We are grateful to Government for empowering young people and we are committed as IPPs. We tried to get investors outside the country but we were not happy with the conditions hence we looked locally with the help of Finance and Economic Development Minister (Professor Mthuli Ncube) and we got
Hundreds of solar panels have already been mounted on a 9ha piece of land waiting for commissioning, while applications have been made for the next phase of 10MW.
Minister Zhemu commended the two projects and reiterated Government support for private sector partnerships.
"We are happy about developments happening here and we are very much expectant of commissioning. This will be the first thermal plant as the existing ones are owned by Government.
At
"Getting funding locally is testimony of favourable policies we have and this is going to open way for more projects and speaks volumes of what can be done by local people to bring solution to our problems."
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