By Lucy Tandi – Thursday 22 October 2020
LOCAL – HARARE (Mining Index) – CURRENT coal mining projects in Hwange at various stages of development are expected to increase power output to over 6 000 MW by 2025, creating a surplus that will catapult Zimbabwe to become a net exporter of electricity.
“The on-going coal mining projects in Hwange districts will ultimately translate increased national generation capacity of over 6 000MW by 2025. This will see Zimbabwe become a net exporter of energy,”
“Works on the Hwange 7 and 8 expansion project will be expedited following delays as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said President Emmerson Mnangagwa during the official opening of the third session of the ninth parliament of Zimbabwe today.
Zimbabwe’s national electricity demand currently stands at 2400 MW per day and the country has been supplementing its power supplies through imports from South Africa and Mozambique.
The country has one hydro power plant and four coal-fired generators with a total combined capacity of 2240 MW, against an average production of less than 1000 MW per day which, in the past decade, resulted in most parts of the country experiencing load shedding for up to 18 hours a day.
According to Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) website, last updated 19 October 2020, out of a total of 932 MW being generated locally, Kariba is contributing the bulk at 662MW, Hwange Power Station 238MW, Munyati 16MW, Harare Power Station 15MW, while Bulawayo is generating zero MW.
Rio Energy Ltd, a subsidiary of RioZim earlier this year announced plans to construct a 2,100 MW thermal power plant with support from China Gezhouba Group Corp (CGGC) at a projected cost of US$3 billion.
RioZim’s planned solar projects are also expected to meet 10 percent of Zimbabwe’s power demand through establishment of four solar power stations that have a combined capacity of 214 megawatts (MW).
There are currently three active coal producers in Zimbabwe – Makomo Resources, Hwange Colliery Company and Zambezi Gas. ENDS// www.miningindex.co.zw
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