Page 13 - AfrElec Week 47 2021

AfrElec GAS-FIRED GENERATION AfrElec

Zambezi Gas shelves Matabeleland

North gas project

ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWEAN company Zambezi Gas and “So, us being an indigenous company we have
Coal Mine has shelved plans to establish a gas shelved that a bit and we are going to do that in
production project in the country’s Matabele- the later years.”
land North region, citing prohibitive costs asso- As for the power station, Makota said that
ciated with the venture, The Chronicle reported its first 150 MW should be connected to the
on Monday (November 22). national grid in 2024.
The Matabeleland North mine produces “We have had a [setback] due to recent
150,000 tonnes of coal per month and is in good announcement by China that they are no longer
standing to produce thermal electricity, but the funding thermal power stations, and so, we are
company’s initial aim was to extract gas. trying to change that technology to first change
Operations director Menard Makota told The the coal into gas then from there we do energy,”
Chronicle said the first phase of a planned 750- Makota is quoted as saying.
MW power station should be up within three “We have already engaged the funder who is
years, while gas mining will be resumed later. working on the modalities to start the 150 MW
“Gas mining is very expensive. We are drilling then afterwards we are going to do the second
as deep as 500 metres and also it requires a lot 600 MW to make it 750 MW.”™
of technology, which currently is still starting in
Zimbabwe.

Week 47 25•November•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P13