Zim’s 18 game-changing power projects
President Mnangagwa unveils a plaque after the ground-breaking ceremony of the 720MW thermal power station and 200MW solar plant in Hwange yesterday
Leonard Ncube in HWANGE
ZESA Holdings executive chairman, Dr Sydney Gata, says the prevailing electricity supply challenges will be a thing of the past once the country completes the implementation of 18 power projects set to generate close to 4 000MW in the next two years. Dr Gata said yesterday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the 720MW waste-to-thermal-coal power plant by President Mnangagwa in Hwange District, was part of the high-impact comprehensive steps to improve domestic power generation and tame blackouts. His remarks come as a response to public anxiety over the power outages that last up to 10 hours in some areas. Speaking at the ground-breaking event, Dr Gata said the new energy investments will tackle power supply challenges forever. He noted that Titan New Energy, which has invested US$1 billion for a thermal plant in Hwange and an additional solar plant in Gweru, is one of the 18 projects being implemented that will address electricity shortages in the next two years. “I have been insulted every day because of electricity challenges, but today marks the end of load-shedding,” Dr Gata said. “This project we have come for today is only one out of 18 power plants being built in Zimbabwe. “We have 18 projects that are starting and will give us 4 000MW. We are short of 600MW and so we will have a massive surplus and we are already thinking of where to sell.” ReadMore