(HERALD) China to invest in Zim power projects

China to invest in Zim power projects
By Reuben Madzivo

Harare and Beijing are finalising agreements that could see Zimbabwe’s power generation capacity topping 5 000 megawatts if completed, making the country a net exporter of electricity. The deals will see the construction of new power generation plants as well as the expansion of existing power stattions.

In an interview with The Herald on Thursday, Energy and Power Development Deputy Minister Hubert Nyanhongo said China had shown great interest in investing in Zimbabwe and expressed optimism that the projects would soon go through.

Though he could not be drawn into giving figures, enquiries by this paper show the projects are potentially worth over US$1 billion.

"China has shown great interest in investing in this power project. Three companies to be shortlisted by the Chinese government will undertake the projects.

"I am hopeful that the project will bring the current power deficits to an end," said Deputy Minister Nyanhongo.

He said the first project will be the construction of two additional units with a capacity of 600MW at Hwange Thermal Power Station.

Hwange is currently producing 700MW of electricity, about 200MW short of its full capacity.

Kariba Hydropower Station will get two more units with a total capacity of 300MW.

That station is presently producing 250MW.

The Chinese have said they will construct two new hydroelectric power stations on the Condo and Batoka gorges.

At Batoka, a dam and two hydropower stations will be built on either side of the Zambezi River with a total capacity of 1 600MW.

The dam on the Condo Gorge will have a capacity of 150MW.

Zimbabwe and China will partner to construct a thermal power station on a build-operate-transfer basis in Gokwe North with a total capacity of 1 400MW.

Deputy Minister Nyanhongo said one of the projects would see the rehabilitation of the existing electricity transmission and distribution network.

The network has suffered at the hands of vandals over the years.

Zimbabwe presently produces 950MW of electricity from Kariba and Hwange power stations against infrastructural capacity of 1 800MW and has been relying on imports from Mozambique, South Africa and the DRC.

The Energy Ministry has said with output of 2 200MW and at present industrial and domestic use, the country will not experience any power cuts.

Deputy Minister Nyanhongo said: "We are currently relying on 950MW of electricity from Kariba and Hwange, but the country needs between 2 000 and 2 200MW of electricity."