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COAL miner, Makomo Resources, has expressed readiness to supply the Hwange Units 7 and 8 expansion project with plans to construct a conveyor belt to the power plant at an advanced stage.
Makomo is among the four companies that will be supplying Hwange Thermal Power Station with one million tonnes in coal stockpiles required before commissioning of the two units.
The two additional units are being constructed at a cost of about US$1,2 billion by a Chinese contractor and would add 600MW into the national grid, a development that will ensure improved supplies.
In an interview at the sidelines of a tour of the mine by Energy and Power Development Minister, Soda Zhemu on Thursday, Makomo Resources general manager, Mr Kudakwashe Nyabonda, said designs for the conveyor belt have been drawn and the company was now scouting for investors.
“We already have a contract with the stage 7 and 8 for coal supply into the power station and one of the items in the contract is the installation of the conveyor belt that will run from the mine straight at a stretch of about 12.5km,” he said.
“From our side our commitment has already started, the designs are already in place and the route has already been surveyed. Now it’s only the issue of financing and once secured we will kick start the project.”
The construction of the 12.5km conveyor belt project requires US$34 million and in the event of failure to meet the March 2021 commencement of operation of Unit 7, Mr Nyabonda said his company would use the alternative road to meet the deadline.
“It’s included in the contract that if we fail to construct the conveyor belt on time we can also take the alternative of road. We might fail to meet the March 2021 deadline but we still have the alternative to use haulage trucks,” he said.
“We are opening another pit mainly for stage 7 and 8 so that we can meet the required volumes. As a mine we have got capacity to mine and sell 200 000t of coal in a month, that’s our optimum production.”
Mr Nyabonda said the company was channeling the bulk of its produce towards local markets and thermal power stations with seven percent accounting for exports mainly to Zambia and recently DRC for the cement manufacturing industries.
Makomo is producing an average of 100 000t per month. Meanwhile Minister Zhemu applauded the company for its level of preparedness and commitment towards improved coal supplies. He said the construction of the conveyor belt was going to assist in efficiency and quality product monitoring.
“Makomo Resources is one of the major suppliers of coal at Hwange Power Station. We interacted with the general manager and we are very happy that they are still on course on the initial arrangement that they will be providing coal to the units that we expect to commission next year,” said the minister.
“We spoke about the proposed conveyor belt, which is supposed to take coal directly from the mine into the stockpile station for the units. We have actually agreed that it has to be pursued.
“Of course, there are currently some challenges but we see a lot of opportunities in terms of congestion of the place if they alternatively use road transport. The use of the conveyor belt will be a welcome development as it will assist in some checks, which are supposed to be done as the product is being delivered. We presume it will be faster in terms of delivery of coal than using road,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu