Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe [email protected]
ZHONG An Coking & Power Company (Private) Limited has applied for a generation licence to develop a 640-megawatt coal-fired thermal power plant in Hwange, in a major proposed private-sector investment that could add significant generation capacity to Zimbabwe’s electricity supply system.
The company is seeking approval from the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) to construct, own, operate and maintain the power station in Ward 13 of 3-Main North in Hwange, Matabeleland North Province.
The proposed project comes as Zimbabwe intensifies efforts to expand domestic electricity generation, reduce dependence on imports and secure adequate power supplies to support industrial and economic growth.
According to a public notice issued in terms of the Electricity Act, the application is now before ZERA for consideration.
“Notice is hereby issued that Zhong An Coking & Power Company (Private) Limited has made an application for a generation licence to the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) seeking approval to construct, own, operate and maintain a 640 MW coal-fired thermal power plant in Ward 13 of 3-Main North in Hwange, in the Matabeleland North Province, in terms of section 46 of the Electricity Act (Chapter 13:19) of 2002.”
The proposed 640MW facility would represent a substantial addition to Zimbabwe’s generation capacity and further cement Hwange’s position as a strategic energy and industrial hub.
The project is being positioned as a commercial power generation venture, with the firm intending to sell electricity to its customers.
“Zhong An Coking & Power Company (Private) Limited intends to generate electricity from the proposed coal-fired thermal power plant for selling to its customers,” the notice adds.
The development would also require investment in transmission infrastructure to connect the proposed plant to the national grid.
“The project will be connected to the grid through the construction of approximately 14.5 kilometers of a Triple Bison line from the proposed Zhong An 400kV substation site to Hwange B 400kV substation complete with the associated line bays,” the company said.
The application comes at a time when independent power producers (IPPs) are becoming increasingly important in Zimbabwe’s efforts to close the electricity supply gap.
Private-sector participation has become central to Government’s strategy of mobilising capital for new generation projects as the country seeks to reduce reliance on electricity imports and improve the reliability of supplies to productive sectors.
Energy is a key enabler of Zimbabwe’s modernisation and industrialisation agenda, with reliable electricity required to underpin manufacturing, mining, agriculture, digitalisation and other economic activities.
To address persistent power shortages, Government is implementing several electricity generation projects, many of which are being financed through extra-budgetary resources, loans and private-sector investment.
Under the Second National Development Strategy (NDS2), the country’s five-year development plan, reliable energy supply has been identified as a core enabler of industrialisation, digitalisation and broad-based economic growth.
