Chipo Katsidzira Manicaland Correspondent
The Zimbabwe Electricity Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has granted Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) a licence to build a 120MW power plant in Mutare.
The development is expected to augment power supplies in the country, which is currently experiencing power shortages due to low water levels at Kariba as well as challenges at Hwange Thermal Power Station.
ZERA acting chief executive Mr Eddington Mazambani confirmed the development in an interview with The Herald.
He said the plant — Mutare Peaking Power Station — is likely to be completed by 2022.
“The generation licence is granted to the Zimbabwe Power Company in terms of Section 42 of the Electricity Act to construct, own, operate and maintain 120MW emergency/peaking power plant called Mutare Peaking Power Station at Orange Groove Farm at Feruka, for the purposes of generation and supply of electricity,” said Mr Mazambani.
He said the Mutare plant was among seven such projects in the pipeline.
“The peaking stations are intended to balance fluctuating power requirements on the electricity grid and normally are switched on in urgent situations, especially during periods when there is a high demand for power,” Mr Mazambani said.
The plant will run on diesel and later on gas.
“The Mutare peaking station is amongst the seven new projects lined up between now and 2027 expected to add an additional 2250MW to the national grid as part of efforts to improve power supplies, which have declined to critical levels,” he added.