adminmeaningful development has taken place at the project site. Industry experts say Lupane holds vast deposits of coal-bed methane gas, some of it estimated to be 95 percent pure, hidden between the area and neighbouring Botswana.
In a statement, the Zimbabwe Power Company said Wapcos had been involved in a number of projects in Zimbabwe.
“Wapcos carried out feasibility studies for Gairezi Project in the Eastern Highlands and has been tasked to carry out exploration studies for coal-bed methane in Lupane for the production of 250MW of electricity,” it said.
“The exploration study will give a firm assessment of whether the project is feasible or not.”
The ZPC also contracted Wapcos to offer on the job training to staff at Hwange Thermal Power Station and has also refurbished the plant to international benchmarks.
All six units are now operational at Hwange Thermal Power Station, which has gained capacity of 600MW. The Government has indicated that should huge quantities of gas are discovered in Lupane it would also be used to manufacture fertilisers as well as pumping it to households for domestic use.
There are fears that the gas was escaping through holes drilled by an unnamed French firm, which abandoned exploration five years ago. Implementation of the Lupane gas project, which the Government granted National Project Status six years ago, is expected to ease power shortages that have afflicted the country. – New Ziana.
Online Reporter