Another 150MW to be injected into national grid

Nomagugu Konke and Lissa Ngorima, Harare Bureau
Zimbabwe’s electricity challenges have eased following injection of 150 megawatts into the national grid upon completion of Phase One of the US$355 million Kariba South Hydro-Power Station Expansion project.

Information gathered last week shows that another 150MW will be added within two months when the 40-month project will be complete.

Our Harare Bureau understands Unit 7 is “technically open”, and President Emmerson Mnangagwa will commission it next month.

Zimbabwe requires an average 1 400MW during peak periods, but has been generating below 1 056MW.

Zesa Holdings spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira told this paper, “Unit 7 is expected to be officially commissioned in February following the technical commissioning which was done on the 24th of December last year.

“The technical opening followed the process of assuring that all systems and components of the machine are designed, installed, tested, operated and maintained according to the operational requirements of the final user — the Zimbabwe Power Company.

“Unit 7 has lessened the burden of importing power from neighbouring countries as has been the norm over the past few years and this is going to meet the country’s demand for power.

“The duration of the project was 40 months and is expected to end on the 10th of March with the completion of the second unit (Unit 8) which is going to be added on the national grid, bringing the total generation capacity to 1 050 megawatts.”