The Sunday Mail
Lorraine Muromo
THE Rural Electrification Agency, a statutory body mandated to extend electricity distribution to rural areas, is set to roll out the Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) project, which is markedly cheaper than the current three-phase technology, after a successful pilot project between 2009 and 2013 in Mudzi, Mashonaland East.
SWER technology uses a single conductor to transfer electricity, harnessing earth mass as the return path for electricity as opposed to a neutral conductor.
Experts say the technology significantly reduces project costs.
In a recent interview with The Sunday Mail Business, REA chief executive officer Engineer Joshua Mashamba said the agency would replicate the model in other rural districts.
“So far we have gone to (several) provinces and those are Manicaland (Nyanga) Mashonaland Central (Mbire), Masvingo (Chiredzi), and Matabeleland South and North.
“The biggest advantage of this new technology is that it reduces the cost of electrification,” said Eng Mashamba.
