Page 5 - AfrElec Week 37 2022
P. 5
AfrElec INVESTMENT AfrElec
Zimbabwe calls on private
sector to invest in domestic
wind power potential
ZIMBABWE RECENT studies conducted at sites in Zimba- Meanwhile, demand is around 1,750MW. The
bwe indicate wind speeds and hub heights that daily said that by 2025, demand would have risen
are ideal for the development of wind energy to 2,350MW, driven by expanding consumption
projects, a senior government official has said. from the mining industry. The southern African
Gloria Magombo, the permanent secretary in nation generates the bulk of its energy through
the Ministry of Energy and Power Development coal and hydro, a little from solar facilities with
said the research was done by the private sector, wind largely unexploited.
which, she added, should escalate that work to Magombo said vandalism and theft of trans-
actually building projects. mission and distribution infrastructure are ham-
“We have had a number of studies that have pering power supply. The country has, over the
been done by the private sector in various areas past few years, lost 4,100 transformers at a rate of
where there are average wind speeds of over 8 3 and 4 of the machines daily.
metres per second and hub heights of over 80 This, she added, “is a major drawback because
metres which is a good opportunity for people once you put a transformer, [it] is expected to last
to bring in wind into the energy mix of this coun- 20 to 30 years but we are losing this infrastruc-
try,” she said, as quoted by state-owned daily The ture at times after a week.”
Herald. Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union
“We have received funding from the African representative Bright Bvokombwe urged the
Development Bank for some sites which we will government to create a framework that encour-
then be able to auction to the private sector.” ages growers to invest in wind energy on their
Zimbabwe has an installed capacity of properties.
2,260MW, but due to breakdowns, repairs and
vandalism produces an average of just 1,300MW.
Zim distributor announces
five-day power cuts
ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWE’S state-owned electricity trans- facing higher demand for energy, particularly
mitter and distributor has announced a five-day from mining companies as they ramp up output,
power rationing exercise triggered by rising President Emmerson Mnangagwa said in July.
demand amid declining output. The southern African country’s five power
Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and plants were producing 934megawatts (MW) by
Distribution Company said the curtailment in early afternoon on Wednesday (September 14).
supply started the day before and would end on Its coal-fired facility in Harare was dispatching
Friday. only 11MW from its dependable capacity of
“This is due to depressed generation on the 50MW. Kariba South hydropower station was
grid coupled by increased electricity demand as producing the biggest share at 751MW.
a result of increased economic activities,” it said. In July, the government announced the coun-
According to Bloomberg, the capital Harare try would import 100MW from Zambia at a cost
is already experiencing power outages of as long of $6.3mn monthly. It said around the same time
as 10 hours a day because of lower output from that it wanted to boost by 150MW the 100MW
its main electricity plants. Zimbabwe is also the country imports from Mozambique.
Week 37 15•September•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P5
