Zimpapers Logo

Tinashe Farawo in BULAWAYO
ZIMBABWE and Zambia will hold a joint investment conference in Livingstone later this month in a bid to raise more than $4billion for the construction of the Batoka Hydro Power Plant, which is expected to generate 2 400 megawatts upon completion of the project, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Officially opening the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) 48th Summit in Bulawayo on Wednesday, Energy and Power Development Minister, Dr Samuel Undenge said the two Governments have already started mobilising funds for the project with road shows conducted in Paris, Beijing, Johannesburg, Harare and Lusaka in 2016.

The feasibility studies for the project were being finalised and African Development Bank has been appointed as the lead financial advisor, said Minister Undenge.

Minister Undenge said despite a power deficit of 6 000 megawatts in the region, by 2022 the region will be producing enough power for export.

Dr Undenge said, Government is expecting the financial closure on the Hwange 7 and 8 expansion which will add 600 MW upon completion.

The region has been operating under a generation supply deficit for almost a decade and the situation is expected to improve in the next five years.

Government is expected to launch the Renewable Energy Policy later this year. “We are currently having an operational deficit of around 6 000 MW. The pace of commissioning new projects is still slow, but the electricity deficit is expected to be overcome by 2022,

“It is the desire of SADC Ministers responsible for energy to see the region get out of this generation and supply deficit as soon as practically possible,” he said.

The Minister said, the country will take advantage of its central location in the SAPP grid in the provision of electricity and exporting power to other SADC member states.

SAPP, Minister Undenge said, needs to take advantage of the support given by the World Bank in the fast implementation of the power projects.

The Minister said SADC was committed for energy efficiency and renewable, “This is demonstrated by the establishment of the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREE) in Namibia in 2016. SAPP initiatives on demand side management assisted a lot in minimising the impact of load shedding during our worst generation supply deficit period.”

Zimbabwe is currently implementing the Kariba South Extension project by adding two more generators which will add 300 MW to the national grid.

The first unit is expected to be commissioned in December with the second unit in March 2018.

Minister Undenge said Zesa is strengthening its national transmission capacity by constructing two new 400 kv power lines, the Triangle-Orange Groove in the eastern part of the country and Alaska-Sherwood in the central region.

“There are other projects at various stages of sourcing financing that include coal fired, hydro and solar PV plants among other projects,” said Minister Undenge.