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Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter
THREE sites have been identified where large-scale photovoltaic solar power stations capable of producing 500MW will be implemented under a partnership between the Government and Skypower Global Group of Companies of the United Arab Emirates.
The three sites are Henderson (Archie Henderson Research Station Farm), Figtree (Vreigevight Farm) and Manhize (Onzerust Farm) and were selected using the Geographic Information Systems.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said after the Cabinet meeting last week that the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Professor Amon Murwira presented a report outlining the selection process.
Government and Skypower signed a Memorandum of Understanding last year during COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt to develop large-scale solar power stations in Zimbabwe.
The three sites were selected from an original nine possibilities based on several criteria: the ability of the grid or sub-station to accommodate plus or minus 100 megawatts, proximity to a grid or sub-station, land availability, topographic considerations such as slope, no settlements within the establishment, no shading from mountains, and local leadership and community buy-in, said Minister Mutsvangwa.
Being close to the existing grid would avoid high costs of extra infrastructure and reduce transmission losses so ensuring the least cost tariff to the consumer, and improved performance of the solar farms.
The development of the solar farms is meant to increase power availability in the country in line with the System Development Plan which targets to generate approximately 865MW of grid solar energy by 2030 and secure more of Zimbabwe’s long-term energy supply needs.
Under the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa, availability of power is being prioritised as the Government seeks to ensure that the new businesses coming in get uninterrupted supplies.
Already, there are several solar projects underway across the country, with the Centragrid station in Nyabira, about 40km north of Harare, already feeding electricity into the grid.
In terms of thermal power stations, the Government is expanding Hwange Power Station where two new units, 7 and 8, have been added, both with a combined capacity of 600MW.
Unit 7 was synchronised in March and is already feeding power into the grid, while Unit 8 is still undergoing trials, but reached its full capacity of 335MW recently.
Online Reporter