Page 13 - AfrElec Week 21 2022

AfrElec HYDRO AfrElec

GZH starts work on 5-MW mini-

hydro facility in Zimbabwe

ZIMBABWE AN independent power producer (IPP) has encouraging IPPs and other entities to invest in
started constructing access roads around a the sector.
site where it plans to spend $14.2mn build- In the past few months, at least three compa-
ing a 5MW hydroelectric facility in southern nies have commissioned or launched construc-
Zimbabwe. tion on solar units.
Great Zimbabwe Hydro Power Company In March, Solgas Energy, an IPP, started
(GZH) secured government approval to con- generating 5MW from a facility that would
struct the mini-hydro at Lake Mutirikwi, a be a 50MW plant after full development. Two
1.38mn litre reservoir, in 2015. months later, Pretoria Portland Cement broke
According to a report in government-con- ground for a $40mn, 30MW project to run its
trolled daily The Herald on Friday (May 20), two factories in Bulawayo, the second-largest
a contractor has already stationed about 100 city, and in Gwanda, a smaller town to the south.
workers and capital equipment to undertake the Toronto-listed gold miner, Caledonia is building
first phase of the $14.2mn project, which is set to a 20MW plant to help power its mine in Gwanda.
be completed in June 2023, GZH spokesperson GZH’s Chipfumbu said the second phase
Hubert Chipfumbu said. of the Lake Mutirikwi project will see the con-
Zimbabwe has, since 2007, failed to pro- struction of a powerhouse and a penstock to
duce enough electricity from mainly gov- convey water to turn turbines in the former. The
ernment-owned facilities at Lake Kariba and final phase will be building an evacuation sec-
Hwange coal-fired facilities in the northwest tion stretching 25km to connect to the nearest
and west, respectively. The government is substation.™

Week 21 26•May•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P13