The Sunday News
THE energy situation in the country is set to improve in the next 24 months as there are a number of projects lined up to increase the capacity, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development Mr Patson Mbiriri has said.
Speaking on Wednesday last week during the Mining Engineering and Transport conference in Bulawayo Mr Mbiriri said the Government and private players were embarking on massive projects to increase power generation.
“The situation is improving. There are new capacities coming on stream particularly in respect of solar energy in the next 24 months. We are also expecting new capacity from both hydro as well as thermal power plants within the next 40 to 48 months and at that point in time we can live happily thereafter,” said Mr Mbiriri.
He said their aim was to regain lost capacity from the country’s plants, starting with Kariba.
“Kariba is giving us 750 megawatts and it was down to about 600 megawatts. Hwange was really low and given its age it should give us another 750 megawatts but at some point we were down as low as 200 megawatts and we are now in the region of 500 megawatts and our aim is to move to 750 megawatts,” said Mr Mbiriri.
He said they were looking forward to rehabilitating all the three thermal power stations in the country.
“The small thermal plants such as Harare, Munyati and Bulawayo should be giving us somewhere in the region of 50 megawatts and 70 megawatts but are giving us somewhere in the region of 20 to 30 megawatts. Those thermal stations are really old and we want to refurbish them and that can be done in a period of 18 to 24 months. The tender for Harare has already been awarded and we are now going to Bulawayo and Munyati and each one is going to give us 100 megawatts,” said Mr Mbiriri.
The official said there were also three solar plant projects under way in Gwanda, Plumtree and Marondera which were expected to produce a significant amount of energy.
He said there were also other independent power producers who wanted to embark on solar projects.
“The Kariba expansion project is under way and is going to give us 300 megawatts and to be on stream by 2017 and we have also the extension of Hwange Power Station. There is Batoka project and it is promising 800 megawatts on the Zimbabwe side and that work is now ongoing with World Bank keenly interested and also a number of investors also showing interest,” said Mr Mbiriri.
Zimbabwe is facing power shortages with the country’s main power utility, Zesa Holdings, generating about 1 200MW of electricity against national demand of more than 2 000MW.
