The Sunday Mail
Harmony Agere and Tafadzwa Kadani
Zesa Holdings is set to do an environmental impact assessment to determine the ecological effects of setting up an emergency diesel power plant in Dema, the power utility’s spokesperson, Mr Fullard Gwasira has said.
The construction of the plant is a stop-gap measure by Government to address severe power shortages in the country and is expected to contribute about 200 MW to the national grid upon completion in a month’s time.
Environment protection campaigners have raised concerns over the impact that the plant might have on the habitat since diesel emissions are heavy polluters.
With the country experiencing major climatic changes as a result of global warming, reducing greenhouse emissions has become a top priority for Government.
Mr Gwasira said that procedures are being followed so that emissions from the diesel plants can be minimised.
He said tenders will soon be floated to engage experts with guidance of specifications that are meant to eradicate all the anticipated negative effects to the environment.
“Zesa Holdings is conscious of the need to observe environmental laws and it is set to do an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that the construction of the Dema Diesel Plant might have on the habitat and will shortly float a tender to engage experts with guidance of specifications that are meant to eradicate all the anticipated negative effects, though minimal to the environment,” said Mr Gwasira.
“However, the primary objective with such projects is to ensure that emissions are reduced to ensure the safety of the environment.”
Environmental Management Authority (EMA) spokesperson, Mr Steady Kangata, acknowledged that such projects can impact on the environment negatively, hence the need for environmental impact assessments.
He said Zesa, as required by the law, will have to carry out the EIA and submit it to EMA for approval.
“We are waiting for them (Zesa) to complete their EIA and we will take matters from there. As for now, I cannot comment further as the EIA has not been completed.”
Diesel emissions are highly polluting and even more so in Zimbabwe where high sulphur content diesel is used.
An energy expert with the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre (SIRDC), Julius Madzore, said diesel with high sulphur content pollutes more. He advised that Zimbabwe should now move on from D500 diesel which has high sulphur content to D50 which has low sulphur content.
“D50 is the future. That is where we are going so I think we should begin to embrace it. It is cleaner and friendlier to the environment.”
Mr Gwasira said the establishment of the plant will significantly reduce load shedding.
He said it is necessary to increase electricity tariffs for the project to be sustainable since it is expensive to generate power using primary fuels such as diesel.
“These plants, because of the fact that they use diesel as a primary fuel, also come at a premium cost just as the generators in our homes.
“The tariff increase that Zesa has applied for incorporating the diesel component is 14,64c/kWh. The diesel plant generates at 18c,” he said.
Mr Gwasira said the plant is also set to create employment during the construction as well as running phase of the project in line with the provisions of Zim-Asset.
The geographical location of the plant is also set to balance the location of electricity generating assets in the country with ZPC’s Mutare diesel peaking plant coming on board by 2018.
Zesa is not the first utility to construct emergency diesel power plants as they have already been introduced in other countries. They have been helpful in providing power in critical areas such as hospitals, the police and other public safety arms.
However, the power plants are expensive to maintain as they wear out quickly.
The emergency diesel plant is coming in to augment the power shortfalls that are resulting from the reduction of generation at Kariba due to declining lake water levels.
While power supplies have improved in recent weeks, power generation in the country remains low. Supplies have only improved due to imports.
Zesa has been importing electricity from other countries to keep power supply reliable.
The power utility has since proposed to push electricity charges to 14,64c/kWh, up from 9,86c/kWh.
As of January 27 2016, the country was generating 893MW against a demand of 2 200MW.
