Online Reporter
Business Reporter
THE 100-megawatt Gwanda solar project is back on track after the developer, Intratrek Zimbabwe, received a “Notice to Proceed” from the Government, which has directed the contractor to complete the solar plant within 24 months.
This follows the restated Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for the project, signed on March 27, 2025, between the Government, through the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and Intratrek Zimbabwe.
Intratrek’s CHiNT Electric Co Ltd, a major global multi-billion-dollar solar and electrical equipment company and Fortune 500 entity headquartered in Shanghai, China, is its technical EPC partner for the Gwanda solar project.
Completing the Gwanda Solar Project is important to Zimbabwe because it directly addresses acute national electricity deficits, reduces reliance on expensive imports and diversifies the country’s energy mix away from vulnerable hydroelectric sources.
Zimbabwe has an installed power generation capacity of approximately 2 600 to 2 962 MW, but actual average generation often runs much lower — between 1 400 MW and 1 600 MW — against a peak national demand estimated between 2 000 MW and 4 000 MW, resulting in a substantial deficit.
Reliable green energy will feed vital productive sectors of the economy like mining and local agriculture, fuelling broader national industrialisation goals and driving strong and sustainable economic growth.
Intratrek first won the contract for the 100MW Gwanda solar project towards the end of 2014, at an EPC cost of US$172 million, after beating several other prospective developers as the lowest bidder to specification.
The other bidders included ZTE Corporation, Number 17 Metallurgical China, China Jiangxi International Corporation and Afriven Investments. ZPC and Intratrek Zimbabwe would later agree to reduce the EPC cost to US$132 million in line with the falling costs of building solar power plants globally.
Nonetheless, the solar project stalled due to the negative twin impact of Zimbabwe’s sovereign debt to China and endless litigation cases brought by ZPC’s parent firm, Zesa Holdings, over delayed implementation.
ZPC cancelled the EPC contract in April 2018, claiming it had validly terminated due to delays and time lapses relating to the agreed timelines for project implementation, despite having made an advance payment.
Intratrek challenged the termination at the High Court, which ruled on January 11, 2023, that the solar project contract with Intratrek Zimbabwe remained valid and extant. ZPC appealed against the decision to the Supreme Court.
Similarly, the Supreme Court dismissed ZPC’s appeal on December 1, 2023, confirming that Harare businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s company, Intratrek Zimbabwe, holds a valid contract for the 100MW solar project.
The court ruling meant that specific performance should apply, meaning the project was cleared to proceed, which resulted in the EPC contract being reinstated. In a recent correspondence to Intratrek, stressing conditions for the expedited implementation of the project, the ZPC said that: “Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8.1 of the EPC contract, this letter serves as the formal Notice to Proceed with the full implementation of the contract.
Accordingly, the contractor is hereby authorised to commence execution of the works and to take immediate occupation of the project site in accordance with the conditions of the contract.
“The project duration shall be 24 months, in line with the agreed Programme of Works, as set out in the EPC Contract and its accompanying schedules. You are required to mobilise to the site and commence activities without delay.”
A Government correspondence on the matter said that site works will begin subject to the release of an Advance Mobilisation Payment.
Intratrek will be required to provide regular updates on the project to the Office of the President and Cabinet, the employer’s representative and the project owner (Government) to ensure compliance with all contract terms and timely execution of the project.
“The contractor is expected to submit periodic progress reports in accordance with the contract’s stipulated reporting requirements and to adhere to all obligations regarding project milestones and compliance requirements.
“The Government of Zimbabwe expresses its keen anticipation for the successful execution of this national project, which is instrumental in achieving electricity self-sufficiency and enhancing energy security.
“The employer shall continue to monitor progress and ensure that all contractual commitments are met to deliver a project that meets international engineering and power generation standards,” the Government said.
Before the issuance of the Notice to Proceed, Mr Chivayo had pledged to complete the Gwanda solar project, citing its strategic national importance, even committing to personally fund the stalled project without Government financial backing.
Responding to the Notice to Proceed, Intratrek executive chairman Mr Wilson Manase expressed profound appreciation for the support by the Government, which he said had brought the project to this important stage.
“The Notice to Proceed represents a critical project milestone as it signals the formal commencement of execution of the works.
“We are pleased to confirm that pursuant to the Notice, we are now proceeding with the immediate mobilisation of our project teams to site, together with the earth moving and associated construction equipment.
“Our mobilisation will encompass site establishment of temporary site facilities and other preparatory activities necessary to position the project for full-scale execution of the subsequent EPC works. We further confirm that the requisite advance payment guarantee was established and submitted to your office through our technical partner, CHiNT Electric and all other arrangements required to commence implementation are now in place.
“We shall accordingly continue to coordinate with ZPC throughout execution of the project. The 100MW Gwanda solar project is of national strategic importance, particularly in the context of the Government’s broader objectives of energy security and advancing the attainment of electricity self-sufficiency under Vision 2030.
“We accordingly take this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to the Government in achieving this important milestone,” Mr Manase said.
