Page 16 - DMEA Week 25 2022

DMEA NEWS IN BRIEF DMEA

regulating the LPG sector in August 2021 after Given that funding for coal projects construction come online, the Hwange facility
noting the rising demand. is drying up after China announced in would have an installed capacity of 1,520MW.
Zimbabwe experiences regular power cuts September 2021 that it was halting financing However, the Industrial and Commercial
as its small and ageing generating facilities coal projects abroad, Mataruse said, the Bank of China and China Minsheng Banking
are struggling to meet demand. Without country will focus on harnessing its solar Corporation pulled out of a proposed coal-
electricity, some urban households are forced potential. fired facility in central Zimbabwe.
to poach for firewood from nearby farms Two units at Hwange colliery that are set to “We have licensed more than 90
while better-resourced ones resort to cooking generate a combined 600MW by March 2023 independent power producers and the retail
gas. It is estimated that Zimbabwe produces were the last to receive funding from China sector, like many other companies are doing,
an average 1,100MW of electricity daily while in 2018. The two generating units at a larger should take lead in setting up solar mini-grids
demand is about 1,500MW. The deficit is met government-owned facility received $1.5bn for its own use,” Mataruse said, as quoted by
by load shedding and importing power from from China Exim Bank. The Herald.
neighbouring South Africa and Mozambique An existing section has a nameplate BNE
when foreign currency to pay for it is capacity of 920MW so by the first quarter
available. of the year when the two units under

P16 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 25 23•June•2022