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George Maponga in Masvingo

The shift towards eco-friendly sources of energy continue to gather momentum countrywide with Chivi Rural District Council (RDC) having set aside 100 hectares for a solar farm to generate electricity in the district.

Chivi RDC administrator Mr Archibald Ncube revealed that his local authority is vigorously pursuing clean energy to satiate the anticipated high appetite for electricity because of developments at Tugwi-Mukosi Dam.

Chivi is one of the two districts that shares the giant Tugwi-Mukosi Dam and the local authority is expecting a boom in investment in areas such as agriculture and tourism and wants to rope in solar power to meet any resultant energy deficit.

Mr Ncube says Chivi RDC hopes to attract investors with the requisite financial gravitas to develop a huge solar plant that will supply the district’s needs with excess power feeding the national grid.

“We have set aside 100ha where we want investors to set up a solar farm so that we produce clean energy to meeting the envisaged high demand if electricity once developments at Tugwi-Mukosi Dam pick up now that the master plan has been approved by Cabinet,” said Mr Ncube.

“We are thinking and planning ahead in terms of making sure there is enough electricity in Chivi and we are no just looking at electricity but also solar power which is environmental friendly. We hope that soon we would find investors who are prepared to work with us in that regard.”

Mr Ncube also toyed with the idea of a floating solar power plant in Tugwi-Mukosi Dam saying advances in solar technology made such as development an exciting prospect.

Chivi RDC is already planning big with the local authority having lined up a number of projects that are likely to be an interesting prospect for Tugwi-Mukosi investors.

Besides land for a solar farm, Chivi RDC has already developed 500 residential stands that are ready for takers as the local authorities intensifies efforts to cash in on the anticipated boom in investment in and around Tugwi-Mukosi Dam.

Zimbabwe’s largest inland dam bisects Masvingo and Chivi districts and unprecedented investments in the spheres of agriculture, tourism and fishing are expected in the two areas.

The dam was built at the confluence of Tugwi and Mukosi rivers and was completed in 2015 at a cost of US$250 million.