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Invictus Energy has signed a preliminary agreement for gas supply from its Cabora Bassa project in Muzarabani, as it seeks an upstream partner to establish whether commercial quantities of gas can be produced from the licence. Invictus announced on 19 December it had entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IPP developer Tatanga Energy to progress gas supply for a 500MW gas-to-power plant in the event of a commercial gas discovery from its SG 4571 licence.

Beverages manufacturer Schweppes Zimbabwe has commissioned a 1MW solar plant which project installers have described as the largest roof-mounted commercial solar system by an IPP in southern Africa outside South Africa. The solar plant was installed by Distributed Power Africa (DPA), an Econet-owned off-grid company that specialises in the building and installation of solar plants, at a cost of $2m.The system is grid tied with generator integration and will provide energy for the soft drink maker’s production facility, ensuring continuous production in a country plagued by chronic electricity shortages.

Prequalification is under way for a 19.65MWp solar PV and battery system for the Blanket gold mine in Gwanda operated by Caledonia Mining Corporation. The system will hybridise with existing diesel generators with combined capacity of 18.4MW. It will be located on a 40ha site connecting at 33kV and may include a storage system with up to 5MVA capacity. Development will be over three 6.55MW phases, with the first two phases implemented in parallel.

The government has approved a domestic electricity price rise of more than 200% from 3 October, raising tariffs to about US$0.12/kWh from approximately US$0.02/kWh. Following the rise, the second since August, domestic users will pay Z$0.41 for the first 50kWh and Z$0.91 for 51-200kWh, a stepped tariff designed to encourage energy saving in view of the country’s critical power supply situation. Tariffs were also increased for institutions, and commercial and industrial users, which are now being charged for energy usage depending on whether they consume power during peak, standard or off-peak times.

Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) has signed a memorandum of understanding to sell 50MW of power to Zimbabwe. Mozambique news agency AIM reported that the agreement was signed in Maputo on 12 September and sales were due to begin in October. EDM chair Ali Sicola said at the signing ceremony that sales to Zesa would earn EDM $4m/month.

The passing of founding president Robert Gabriel Mugabe is another step in the rites of passage towards what over 15m Zimbabweans hope will eventually become a secure and sustainable economy and society. However, the 95-year-old autocrat’s death offers no solutions for reversing economic decline or for easing political tensions, as the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) calls for mass protests to remove President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

The Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe invites expressions of interest by 30 September from local and international investors to assist with the development, financing and construction of eight solar PV and two mini-hydro projects totalling 285MW. Specific procurement notices will be published in due course. The solar projects are the 50MW Rufaro solar farm project in Marondera, 70km east of Harare, in Mashonaland East Province.

Zimbabwe has taken key steps towards reforming its power sector, introducing a long-awaited tariff increase and launching a National Renewable Energy Policy and a National Biofuels Policy, two critical documents that are expected to help stimulate energy production and broaden the energy mix.ZESA has applied for a tariff increase every year since 2011 – and has been turned down each time.

Barely a month after banning the use of foreign currencies within the country, the government has declared that mining companies and hotels must pay for their power in US dollars as part of new measures aimed at improving electricity supply. In June, the government banned the use of foreign currencies for local transactions and reintroduced the Zimbabwe dollar, which it abandoned in 2009 at the height of hyperinflation. As an interim measure, the government introduced the RTGS dollar in February to pave the way for the reintroduction of the local currency.

Independent power producer Solgas Energy says it has secured $7m for the construction of a grid-connected 5MW solar plant at Cross Mabale in Hwange and expects to complete construction by December. Solgas Energy chief financial officer Tafadzwa Mundicha said the company reached full financial close in February 2018 but had struggled to access foreign currency from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe until government abandoned the local RTGS currency’s 1:1 parity with the US dollar in February this year.

General Electric Hydro France and Freyssinet International have signed a $53.7m contract to rehabilitate the spillway of the Kariba dam. The contract was signed on 24 May but was only announced on 1 July. The only other bidder, an Italian joint venture of CMC di Ravenna and ATB Riva Calzoni, was rejected for submitting a non-compliant bid.

Zimbabwe provided one of the most impressive delegations to the 2019 Africa Energy Forum, where new energy and power development minister Fortune Chasi explained how a government committed to reform was working hard to reach its target of 11GW electricity generation capacity, from around 2GW now. After years of chaotic or no planning, Chasi reported that “an integrated resource plan is under way”, while licensing procedures were being eased for private power investors.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on 14 May appointed lawyer Fortune Chasi as minister of energy and power development. Chasi replaces Joram Gumbo, who was fired shortly after the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) announced a debilitating load-shedding schedule that leaves consumers without power for up to ten hours a day. Chasi’s appointment has been welcomed by many in the energy industry, who see him as young, hardworking and up to date with new energy technologies.

The Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe has reissued a tender for detailed feasibility studies and environmental and social impact assessments for the 50MW Rufaro solar photovoltaic plant and the 2.4MW Odzani hydropower project. Expressions of interest are now sought by 13 June. The tender was previously issued last year with a closing date of 22 October. The Rufaro solar project, which will be located on a 300ha site at Longlands Farm in Marondera in Mashonaland East Province, will be implemented in phases by Rufaro Solar Farm One, a licensed independent power producer.

ASX-listed Invictus Energy and Sable Chemical Industries have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for gas supply from the Cabora Bassa project in Zimbabwe subject to a commercial discovery being made. Sable is the sole manufacturer of agriculture grade ammonium nitrate fertiliser in Zimbabwe and a potentially large gas consumer.