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Civil works for the construction of the 200 megawatts Dema emergency plant have begun with the installation of diesel generators expected in the next six weeks.
When The Herald Business visited the site yesterday engineers were carrying out pre-commencement works such as land clearing.
Cabinet has already endorsed the project which is expected to ameliorate power shortages in the country. It has already been classified as ‘urgent’.
The Dema project, which is being spearheaded by Sakunda Holdings, is the earliest Zesa Holdings can deliver compared to the other initiatives the authority is currently pursuing.
Sources close to the development yesterday said the diesel plant would be running by June, in time to meet the winter peak demand.
“The project is now becoming a reality and will come to fruition in winter when power demand will be on the increase,” said a source.
“Generators and all the other relevant equipment will be in the country in the next six weeks meaning the June target is achievable.
“All the processes have been done and we await the arrival of the equipment for installation. At the moment, as you might have seen there is activity at the site, engineers are on the ground.”
The source said from the 200MW to be generated at the plant, 100 MW would be consumed locally while the remainder would be for export.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa on Monday night said the emergency plant would ‘significantly’ boost power supply.
“Cabinet has approved the Dema-Seke emergency diesel power plant to increase power generation,” he said this at a dinner hosted for the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) president Dr Benedict Oramah.
“The project is one of the many projects that Government is undertaking to increase power generation.”
Countries such as Mozambique, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia have gone the route of emergency power plants, in most cases renting diesel powered generators to alleviate power shortages.
The country’s power crisis has been worsened by decreasing electricity generation at Kariba Power Station due to diminishing water levels in the Kariba Dam.
The station is generating about 285 MW against a generation capacity of 750 MW.
The country last experienced load shedding last year with imports from South Africa (300 MW) and Mozambique (50MW) coming in handy.
Zimbabwe Power Company is generating half of the required 2 200MW and is working on various other projects, including expansion of existing power plants that will produce over 3 000MW in the next six years.
The projects, some which are funded by the Chinese, are worth an estimated $5 billion and are in line with the provisions of Zim-Asset.
Other quick-win projects being carried out include repowering of the Bulawayo Thermal Station where Government has already secured a line of credit valued at $87 million from the Government of India.
The Harare repowering project will cost $70 million with 85 percent of the cost being funded by India Exim Bank.
Online Reporter