Zimbabwean President to Commission Kariba South Power Project’s first unit
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to commission Kariba South power expansion project’s first unit on 24th December, 2017. The unit will feed 150MW onto the national grid.
The project has been undertaken by Chinese state-owned hydro-power engineering and construction company, Sinohydro. It began in September 2014, as part of Zim-Asset, under the Infrastructure and Utilities Cluster, with the aim of increasing power generation by 300MW. Zesa Holdings chief executive Mr Josh Chifamba yesterday confirmed that the first unit was coming on line next week.
Economic recovery
Constant power supply is one of the key enablers in the economic recovery drive. Sinohydro chief representative in Zimbabwe, Mr Wu Yifeng last year told The Herald that the project was on schedule. He said the first unit will be complete this month, while commissioning of second one will be in March next year. As a result the power project will make an additional 300MW to the national grid on completion. The country needs about 1 400MW for industrial and domestic use. However, it is generating 900MW, with the balance coming from imports.
Source: Infrastructure
