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NAMIBIAN power utility NamPower is studying findings of the due diligence it conducted on Zimbabwe’s small thermal power stations as it prepares to rehabilitate Harare, Bulawayo and Munyati plants at an approximate cost of US$250 million
Last year, NamPower expressed interest to fund the rehabilitating of the small thermal power stations, under a similar arrangement as Hwange Thermal Station.NamPower provided a US$40 million loan for rehabilitation of Hwange in 2007. Under the arrangement, Zimbabwe is repaying the loan through power supplies to Namibia.
Zimbabwe Power Company managing director Mr Noah Gwariro said the rehabilitation of the three thermal stations would more than double the current generating capacity.
“They (Nampower) did some due diligence in the last quarter of 2013,” said Mr Gwariro. “We provided them with all the information they required and they are going through it themselves to decide on the way forward. As you know it takes some time.
“We are looking at 120MW for Harare, 80MW for Munyati and 90MW for Bulawayo which these stations should be able to send out. When the funding is secured, each station will take about two years to refurbish. The funding required is about US$250 million. They (Nampower) want to fund and get a share of the power.”
Preliminary investigations conducted by NamPower showed the “power stations are not in bad shape and with minimal investment can be brought into operation”.
The re-powering of the three stations will see the replacement of the current boiler technology with circulating fluidised bed which is more efficient and cost effective.
On the repayment for the rehabilitation on Hwange, Mr Gwariro said: “We could have finished repaying for the rehabilitation of Hwange, but they had ‘banked’ some of the energy, as you know there were times when we could not produce more than 150 megawatts (at Hwange) and so we could not supply them with power.”
Zimbabwe has a reliable capacity of 1 300 megawatts compared with an average demand 2 200 MW.
The country imports 35 percent of its electricity mainly from its eastern neighbour Mozambique.
Online Reporter