Harare power station output to double by month end

Power generation at Harare Power Station will double from 30 Megawatts to 60 MW by the end of this month on expected completion of the repairs to one of its turbo alternators, an official has said.

Zimbabwe Power Company managing director Noah Gwariro said repair and re-assembling of the Station 3’s Turbo-Alternator number 1 was in progress and was expected to be finished by end of this month.

The alternator was taken out for service in July 2011 having succumbed to vibrations which resulted in thermal shock and bending of the high pressure rotor.

Helcraw Electrical, a local company was awarded the tender in May 2013 to facilitate repair of the rotor and has been working with Hyderabad of India on the project.

“A report from Harare Power Station indicated that assembly works commenced on the 23rd of March 2015 and work is expected to be completed by the end of April 2015, thereby making Turbo Alternator No 1 commercially available with a load of 30MW.  Harare Power Station’s generating capacity will double from the current 30MW to 60MW, a significant contribution towards curbing the power shortages in the country,” Gwariro said in a statement.

He added an Indian company Haguar has also been awarded a tender for re-powering Harare Power Station 2.

“The station was shut down in August last year, following the rapture of one of its boilers which led to the death of the one of the station’s employees.”

He said the re-powering exercise is expected to begin in the third quarter of the year.

“However, the commencement of the project will only begin once funding has been acquired.  ZPC is currently engaging India Exim Bank as well as the Afrexim Bank for funding of the Harare 2 re-powering project.”

At full throttle, the power station has capacity to generate 75 MW.- The Source

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