Oliver Kazunga
Senior Reporter
A 7,4-megawatt rooftop solar power plant in Harare has started feeding electricity into the national grid, providing an alternative model through which independent power producers can supply private consumers using existing transmission infrastructure.
The Limpopo Way Power facility began generating approximately 5,55MW on Sunday, representing 75 percent of its installed capacity, with full generation expected within the next two weeks following the replacement of a faulty transformer.
Limpopo Way Power head of business development Mr Timothy Brown confirmed the development, saying the plant had been commissioned and was already supplying electricity to the grid.
“Our power plant has been commissioned and we started generating electricity into the national grid today (Sunday). We had an issue with one transformer so we are at 75 percent of the 7,4MW, but will be at full capacity within two weeks once the part that had the fault is replaced,” he said.
The project operates under a power wheeling arrangement with the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), which allows independent power producers to generate electricity at one location and deliver it to private consumers elsewhere through the national grid.
Unlike conventional rooftop solar installations, which primarily supply electricity to the premises where they are installed, Limpopo Way Power injects its output into the national grid for delivery to an agreed private off-taker.
The arrangement provides an opportunity for businesses with significant electricity requirements to secure alternative power supplies without necessarily having to invest in their own generation facilities.
It also creates opportunities for independent power producers to establish solar plants in locations with suitable space and grid infrastructure while supplying customers located elsewhere.
The Harare-based facility, one of the largest rooftop solar installations of its kind in the region, covers two adjacent warehouse rooftops measuring approximately 20 000 square metres and 13 500 square metres respectively.
The combined installation area is 33 500 square metres.
Construction works included the installation of solar equipment and the development of a 7,2-kilometre, 33kV transmission line connecting the facility to Kambuzuma Substation in Harare.
Solar Energy Projects was the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the project.
The installation is also expected to improve the efficiency of the electricity network by injecting power close to Harare’s industrial demand centres, potentially reducing transmission and distribution losses.
The project is projected to reduce technical losses by an estimated 1,5MW.
Its commissioning comes as Zimbabwe seeks to attract more private-sector investment into electricity generation, particularly renewable energy, as part of efforts to strengthen national power supplies and support industrial productivity.
