New substation in the pipeline

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) is set to build a bigger substation in Beitbridge Town.

ZETDC system development manager Engineer Ikhupuleng Dube said his company would also construct a polyclinic in the border town.

Addressing a stakeholders meeting recently, Eng Dube said the 132kV substation was not big enough for the town’s growth in the last two decades.

The projects, he said, were part of the company’s social responsibility initiative.

“The town falls under the route where we will be constructing a 400KV power transmission line from Triangle to Beitbridge. The power line will cut across the Limpopo into South Africa,” he said.

“The support we are rendering to the communities and local authorities is in line with the Government’s policy on food security and the provision of portable water.”

He said the Beitbridge West station was part of the ZETDC’s efforts to foster development in the border town.

“The initiative is also part of our company policy to give back to communities in which we construct our infrastructure,” Eng Dube said.

The ZETDC will also fund the construction of a water reservoir with carrying capacity of 2 280 mega litres and a new primary school in Beitbridge town.

He said they were also collecting a list of more infrastructure projects for funding in Chiredzi, Beitbridge and Mwenezi districts.

The ZETDC will also build two secondary schools and a Vocational Training Centre in Beitbridge rural while powering 20-hectare irrigation schemes through solar and electricity.

Beitbridge with nearly 73 000 people has one referral hospital, a council-owned clinic and four private clinics.

There are also more than 3 000 properties without electricity mainly in Dulivhadzimo North, where there is rapid property development.

The new ZETDC power-line would run for an estimated 250 kilometres with a 60 metres way leave running parallel to the existing 132kV Triangle-Beitbridge line.