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Abigail Mawonde Herald Reporter
Government has embarked on a US$68 million electricity infrastructure rehabilitation programme to improve power generation. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development Mr Partson Mbiriri confirmed the development in an interview recently.
Mr Mbiriri said the Emergency Power Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project was funded by the Zimbabwe Multi-Donor Trust Fund (Zim-Fund).
Zim-Fund co-ordinates mobilisation of donor resources in Zimbabwe.
He said the project was being implemented with assistance from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which engaged several countries that include Australia, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
“The project is basically meant to improve the provision of power through the refurbishment of transmitters and distributors,” said Mr Mbiriri.
He said the project was split into two phases.
“The first phase saw US$35 million being spent on upgrading and repairing of Hwange Power Plant, replacement of Mazowe, Norton, Pomona, Atlanta, Comfort, Mpopoma and Criterion transformers.
“Faulty circuit breakers, overhead high voltage lines and underground cables were replaced countrywide,” he said.
Phase One of the project is now complete and in March this year, saw the launching of Phase Two to enhance the benefits of phase one interventions, which involved the improvement of reliability and availability of power.
Mr Mbiriri said US$33 million was set aside for the installation of dedicated power supply circuits to water and sewage pumping sites.
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