Search results

Tatanga Energy chief executive Tunde Akerele told African Energy that China Machinery Engineering Company (CMEC) had been selected as preferred engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the first 50MWp stage of the Sable Chemicals solar PV plant in Kwekwe, Midlands Province. This followed an international tender last year; the EPC contract is under negotiation.

Zimbabwe is preparing to sell a stake in the state-owned fuel marketing and distribution company Petrotrade in the next few months, African Energy understands. Petrotrade – which has the mandate to market and distribute petroleum products, including diesel, gasoline, lubricants and liquid petroleum gas – is seeking a strategic partner to inject fresh capital into the business in order to improve operational capacity and enable it to expand its footprint.

Invictus Energy is proceeding on its 80%-owned and -operated Cabora Bassa gas condensate project without a farm-in partner, the Australian independent announced on 9 July. It had been unable to complete the required due diligence on a proposed counterparty.

Zimbabwe is expecting around 150MW in capacity to be added to the national grid before the end of the year. Energy and power development minister Zhemu Soda told the cabinet on 22 June that one thermal power project will provide 50MW and ten renewable projects will between them add a further 100MW in total.

The Malilangwe Trust and Sustainable Agriculture Technology have set a 30 June deadline for expressions of interest (EoI) in the design, EPC, testing and implementation of a 4.5MWp solar plant in Masvingo Province.

Independent power producer (IPP) Southern Energy is targeting Q3 2021 to install the first 25MW at a solar plant in Hwange district near Victoria Falls. Southern Energy chairman Barry Nyabonda told African Energy this first phase will begin feeding the grid from around August; further phases are planned which will expand the capacity fourfold.

Independent power producer Solgas Power Energy has completed construction of its 5MW solar PV plant at Cross Mabale in Hwange, Matabeleland North province and will commission the plant at the end of July. The plant is entering the testing phase, while an interconnection line is being completed, chief financial officer Tafadzwa Mundicha said.

Coal miner Zambezi Gas and Coal has started construction work on a thermal power plant, which will have a total capacity of 750MW. The work is being carried out in two phases, with an initial 150MW to be followed by a 600MW second phase. “The first phase will cost us about $250m and the whole project $1.7bn,” chairman Linos Masimura told African Energy.

Independent power producer Zimbabwe Zhongxin Electrical Energy (ZZEE) will connect an initial 25MW to the grid under the 50MW first phase of the 320MW coal-fired project at Deka Bridge Farm in Hwange within the next two months. The company is close to completing construction (80%) of a 13km power line linking the plant to the Zimbabwe Power Company grid.

Local developer New Sahara Ventures’ two off-grid solar PV plants have suffered delays due to shortages of foreign currency and the escalating price of solar equipment. The regional-focused renewables company is the turnkey engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the 5.5MW Guruve solar park in Mashonaland Central province. While the project could have finished earlier, chief executive Trymore Sharata said he now expected completion by December.

National oil company Petrozim Line has awarded a ten-month contract to Penspen for work on the 208km Feruka-Harare pipeline, which the UK-based firm originally designed. Penspen will deliver engineering and procurement support services for the multi-product pipeline project.

Heads of state don’t routinely sign exploration agreements with single asset IOCs, but Zimbabwe needs investment to provide some good news for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s hard-pressed regime. Citing changing market conditions and improvements to local regulations, the Australian partner is exuding confidence that it can make the prospect viable in a region where gas was discovered by Mobil in the early 1990s but reserves were unexploited due to a lack of regional demand and Zimbabwe’s economic chaos.

Gold miner RioZim expects to start construction in August or September on solar PV plants at four of its sites, totalling 178MW of capacity. Board vice chairman Caleb Dengu told African Energy Covid restrictions had caused delays as contractors had been unable to travel to Zimbabwe until they were vaccinated. RioZim plans solar plants at the Renco gold mine in Masvingo, the Cam and Motor and Dalny gold mines in Mashonaland West, and its Murowa diamond mine in Midlands Province.

Distributed Power Africa (DPA) recently completed the installation of a 1.8MWp diesel-solar hybrid plant at Tanganda Tea Company’s Ratelshoek estate in Manicaland, which forms part of a wider 7.5MW solar programme across the company’s estates. Tanganda’s sites had suffered from frequent power cuts in recent years that interrupted tea production.

Campaigners have attacked the proposed development of the 2,400MW Batoka Gorge hydroelectric scheme on the Zambezi River, arguing the dam will destroy tourism and that the coronavirus pandemic has prevented proper consultations with affected communities, writes Tonderayi Mukeredzi in Harare.