Jasper Hloka and Claver Nyuki

Plans are underway to re-power Munyati Power Station as the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) moves to improve power generation and mitigate against the load shedding which has been triggered by poor rains the country had in 2018.

Munyati Operations Manager, Engineer Kenneth Shumba, told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Power and Energy Development which toured the facility on a familiarisation visit yesterday; that they are expecting a rotor which was undergoing service in South Africa on Friday to boost the generation of electricity.

Shumba indicated that “once the rotor touches ground, we will double electricity generation to 36 Mega Watts by December 2019, thereby easing pressure on Kariba Power Plant.”

Shumba added that a new plant to replace the old equipment would cost the country at least USD$120 million, making it viable in the meantime to retool the current machinery as they go through tender process. He revealed that a new plant would generate at least 90 MW.

The Committee advised the ZPC management to reclaim their coal mining rights so that they cut costs of electricity generation. This came on the background that coal miners were holding the utility to ransom as far as availing the product which fuels the geo-thermal power station.

ZPC got assurances from the legislators that their plight would be carried over to Parliament for further deliberation and improve supplies to the national electricity grid which is currently strained by a demand of 1400MW countrywide.