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Columbus Mabika Herald Reporter
Parliamentarians on Thursday grilled independent power producers (IPPS) over delays in implementing their projects, many years after obtaining licences.

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has issued at least 77 licences since 2010 for stations ranging from small solar arrays to giant coal thermals, but only 18 licence holders have invested or are now ready to invest in solar stations.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development said the current power shortages being experienced in the country could have been averted had the IPPs been serious and built the stations they applied to build.

The portfolio committee’s acting chair and Bikita South legislator, Cde Elias Musakwa (Zanu-PF), rapped the IPPs saying it was time that they stopped complaining over petty issues and started being productive.

“The problem is you have been sitting on the projects for years, yet you have the green light to commence power generation.
“How many more years do you need to start producing a single megawatt of electricity?” he asked.

The hearing was attended by Harava Solar Park, Great Zimbabwe Hydro and Nyangani Renewable Energy, which blamed the delays on foreign currency shortages.

Harava Solar Park was incorporated in 2017. Last year, it was licensed to build and maintain a 20-megawatt station that would feed the national grid.

Harava chief executive Mr Ainos Ngadya admitted their power station was supposed to be commissioned this year, but the target will not be met due to foreign currency shortages.

“Our initial target was to commission or reach mechanical completion before December this year, but it’s no longer feasible largely due to shortages of foreign currency.

“What I can confirm, however, is that we have sufficient local funding from more than 10 pension funds that are keen to support us.

“At least 90 percent of equipment needs to be imported, and as such we needed to convert the Zimbabwe dollars that we had into foreign currency, but we could not get the money,” said Mr Ngadya.
He said if they got US$9 million by January 2020, they could commission the plant by April.

Great Zimbabwe Hydro Power Company was licensed in 2010, but has only completed feasibility studies on the 5MW power plant at Lake Mutirikwi.

The company co-founder Mrs Memory Mashingaidze said there had been problems with establishing the ownership of the land they needed.

“Initially, there was no clarity on who owns the land where we were operating. We thought it was owned by the Masvingo Rural District Council.

“We then found out it was owned by Zinwa. At least we have clarity now and we are now working on a lease.
“What is remaining is for us to appraise our foreign partners on the situation in the country,” she said.
Nyangani Renewable Energy was incorporated in 2017.

It is located on the Nyangani Massif and harnesses the perennial rivers in the area for run-of-river hydro power. But the company has commissioned a solar mini-grid, Riverside Solar Power Station, with capacity to generate 2,5MW in Mutoko District and wants to almost double the output to 4,7MW.

Currently the company, through its Tanga B Station, is supplying 2,15MW into the national grid.
Company managing director Mr Ian McKersie also raised the issue of foreign currency.

“We managed to raise funds for the project locally, but the problem now is converting that money into hard currency,” he said.
The Government recently ordered the Zera to review the licences of 59 independent power producers after they failed to start operations within a reasonable period.