Cde Undenge’s speech sheds light

04 Oct, 2015 - 00:10 0 Views

The Sunday Mail

Harmony Agere
Although the country is going through an agonising load shedding schedule, the speech made by Energy and Power Development Minister, Cde Samuel Undenge, hinted that the country’s energy future looks bright. Zimbabwe is arguably facing the greatest power deficit in its history due to low power generation at most of Zesa’s power stations and many people are beginning to lose hope of ever having enough electricity in the country.

In his keynote address at the launch of the National Solar Water Heating Programme (SWHP), Cde Undenge revealed a number of projects that Government has embarked on to build hydro, thermal and solar power stations. The projects will see the country generating more than enough electricity in the foreseeable future.

Observers say the good thing is that while most of the projects look long term given the current pressing situation, a majority of them will be complete in two years at most. If all the projects are completed within their stipulated time, the country will be able to export electricity to other countries since there will be surplus after satisfying local demand.

While Government will oversee a majority of the projects, some of them will be carried out by private players under little Government monitoring. Funds amounting to almost half a billion dollars have either been secured or are still being negotiated with various governments and banks for the projects.

It is projected that the country will be producing about 4 000 MW of electricity by 2018, which will be enough for local consumption and export.

For this to be achieved, Minister Undenge said Harare, Bulawayo and Hwange thermal power stations have to be repowered or expanded. On Bulawayo Thermal Power Station, the Minister said about US$80 million has been sourced from India to revive the plant so that it can produce 60MW. Work to rehabilitate the plant is expected to take 24 months.

The Harare Power Station will also be repowered to produce 90MW with work expected to start soon after $70,2 million is sourced from India’s Exim Bank.

The repowering of Munyati is expected to start as soon as the adjudication for the tender to revive the plant is completed.
Other projects such as Batoka and Gairezi are either being studied for feasibility or are going through the tendering process.

A new emergency 300MW plant will also be constructed in Mutare with the process taking 24 months to complete.
“There are quick-win projects which are well on the way to being implemented,” said Cde Undenge.

“These include the repowering of the Bulawayo thermal station where the Government of Zimbabwe has already secured a line of credit valued at $87 million from the Government of India. The re-powering work will add 60MW into the grid and will take 24 months to complete. The Harare re-powering project will cost $70,2 million with 85 percent of the cost promised by India’s Exim Bank.”

Minister Undenge said these are short-term plans that will provide long-term solutions.
“These quick-win projects that I have mentioned will add 340MW to the national grid,” he said. The other output will come from mega projects such as the expansion of Kariba South Hydro Power Station which is already underway and is expected to provide 150MW. Solar power stations are also expected to produce a combined output of 300MW while independent power producers (IPPs) are billed to contribute significantly.

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