ZPC courts investors to fund Gairezi mini-hydro power station

THE Zimbabwe Power Company is in talks with investors to fund establishment of the Gairezi mini-hydro power station, the company’s chairman Mr Victor Gapare has said. To be located on the Gairezi River in Nyanga, the power station is expected to add 30 megawatts (MW) to the national grid.
The project envisages harnessing the hydro-power potential of the river by constructing a diversified dam across Gairezi to divert the design flows to a power house through a head race tunnel.

A feasibility study of the project has since been concluded and about $90 million is required to complete the project.
“Funding for the project has not yet been secured, but we are engaging potential investors. We will advise when we reach financial closure,” said Mr Gapare, without disclosing the potential investor.

Sources at the power company, however, said Chinese and Indian firms were being targeted to fund the project.
Once funding is secured, the project is expected to take approximately 36 months to complete the engineering phase, which involves generation specifications, tendering for engineering, procurement and construction contractor and conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Mr Gapare said the EIA for the project was nearing conclusion.
“EIA is being finalised and next stage is to carry out a geotechnical survey of the area,” he said.

ZPC has appointed Ascon Africa Environmental Consultants to conduct the EIA.
Mr Gapare said work at the project site is expected to start in 2014.

The country is experiencing huge power deficits which have impacted negatively on industrial performance with the country generating an average of about 1 200 MW out of a national requirement of around 2 200 MW. – New Ziana