Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe, [email protected]
BULAWAYO-based Treger Products (Private) Limited has applied for a licence to establish a solar photovoltaic plant that will supply electricity to its Monarch Steel Division, in a move aimed at enhancing energy security and reducing reliance on the national grid.
The company has since submitted an application to the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) seeking approval to develop the project at its Thorngrove industrial site.
“Notice is hereby issued that Treger Products (Private) Limited has made an application for a generation licence to the Zimbabwe Energy Regulation Authority (ZERA) seeking approval to connect, own, operate and maintain a 0.88MW solar photovoltaic plant at Monarch Steel, Khami Road, Thorngrove in Bulawayo in terms of section 46 of the Electricity Act (Chapter 13:19) of 2002,” the firm said in a notice on Friday.
The proposed plant underscores growing private sector investment in renewable energy as firms increasingly turn to alternative power sources to sustain production amid intermittent electricity supplies.
“Treger Products (Private) Limited intends to generate electricity from the proposed solar plant for consumption by Monarch Steel Division operations. The project will be connected about 40 metres from the 0.4 bus bar at Monarch Steel existing plant feeding into a GMT 300kVa and a GMT 100kVa.”
If approved, the project is expected to improve operational efficiency at Monarch Steel by ensuring a more stable and predictable power supply, critical for energy-intensive manufacturing processes.
Zimbabwe has witnessed a surge in embedded generation projects in recent years, particularly solar.
Increased adoption of renewable energy solutions is also aligned with national objectives to diversify the energy mix and promote sustainable industrial growth.
The group has five manufacturing divisions — Monarch Steel, Kango Products, Treger Plastics, Zimbabwe Grain Bag and Treger Harare.
For Bulawayo’s industrial sector, initiatives such as Treger’s proposed solar plant signal a broader shift towards self-generation, positioning companies to remain competitive while easing pressure on the country’s strained electricity grid.
