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George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
Work on the $20 million mini-hydro power project at Tokwe-Mukosi Dam has started, with Italian contractor Salini Impregilo in the process of building a power house for the electricity generation plant.

Government and Salini, which constructed the recently completed largest inland dam in the country, recently signed a $7 million agreement to build the power house.

Tokwe-Mukosi is now over 70 percent full.
Government agreed with Salini to carry out excavation and civil works where a 15-megawatt mini-hydro plant at Tokwe-Mukosi will be located. Zinwa resident engineer Mr Paul Dengu said work on the power house would take three months.

‘’We are now putting final touches at the dam, especially on the access roads, while waiting for the commissioning day, but everything is now in place,’’ he said.

‘’The contractor is carrying out civil and excavation works at the power house for the mini-hydro power plant and the project will take three months to finish.”

Construction of a power generation plant is also expected to improve electricity supplies in Masvingo. The power plant has capacity to serve the whole province.

After completion of the power house, located downstream of the dam, Government will look for a company that will build the actual power generation plant.

Completion of Tokwe-Mukosi Dam is deemed the panacea for Masvingo’s perennial drought that hinders economic progress. The dam is expected to propel the province into an irrigation hub and ensure food security.

Tokwe-Mukosi has so far collected water enough to irrigate nearly 20 000 hectares, which will increase to 25 000ha at full capacity.

Areas like Chivi, Mwenezi, Chiredzi and Matibi 2 in southern Masvingo, are set to benefit if plans to put up irrigation schemes succeed. Construction of a power generation plant is also expected to improve electricity supplies in Masvingo.

The power plant has capacity to serve the whole province.