Zimbabwe mining indaba to focus on power generation

Zimbabwe’s annual Mining and Infrastructure Indaba will this year focus on the development of power generation projects which are key to attracting investment in the country, organisers have said.

The country is in the throes of biting electricity shortages causing rolling power cuts which are often blamed for keeping away potential investors.

It produces 900 megawatts of electricity daily, less than half its peak demand, forcing local industries to use costly diesel generators to keep operations running.

But the southern African nation has various projects ongoing that could generate an additional 3 500 megawatts by 2018. 

Power utility ZESA is currently undertaking projects to increase capacity by 600MW at Hwange  — from 920MW  — and Kariba South by an additional 300MW from the current installed capacity of 750MW.

“The discussions at the Indaba will be on the progress that has been made in the implementation of these projects and what needs to be done as a country and a region to ensure that we meet the power demand and the deficit in supply as quickly as possible,” said Sheila Galloway, chief executive of Utho Capital, who are the organisers of the event.

One of the key projects is the 600MW coal-fired plant by Pan-African Energy Producers (PER) Lusulu, which will be the first phase of a project that will eventually produce 2 000MW.

Other projects in the pipeline include Sengwa (1 200MW), China Africa Sunlight (600MW), Makomo (600MW)  and Essar (600 MW).- The Source

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