Senior Reporter
The Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes, Dr Jorum Gumbo, yesterday toured the Harava Solar Project (HSP) in Dema, Seke District and informed that Government was prioritising the development of reliable energy which can be easily accessed by the people.
“The implementation of the Harava Solar Project by the Ministry of Energy and Power Development resonates with the National Development Strategy 1 which identifies the availability of reliable power supply as a basic requirement for all citizens. Under the NDS1 period, Government will therefore place priority on the development of reliable and reasonably priced power,” said Minister Gumbo.
Dr Gumbo further said the implementation of HSP was evidence of the Government’s commitment to providing energy to the people in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal seven (7) which enjoins member states to aspire to ensure affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for all people.
The Minister added that the HSP bears testimony to Government’s commitment to ensuring energy security in the country and that energy was central to economic growth and development as well as the general well-being of the people.
Minister Gumbo was delighted to note that the project will create employment for the locals and allowed ownership by the community under the Community Ownership Trust Scheme.
Speaking at the same occasion through a representative from her office, the Mashonaland East Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Aporonia Munzverengi urged other investors to invest in the energy sector so that the country could pursue its industrialisation and economic development agenda in the country.
She said that as a Province, they would be grateful if a certain quota of the generated power would be allocated to the local community to ensure uninterrupted power supply for industries and domestic use.
The Harava Solar Project is anticipated to add 20 megawatts to the national grid and the plant is expected to be commissioned before end of this year. So far, six megawatts are ready to be fed in the grid.
Government is making frantic efforts to eradicate perennial power challenges in the country and has already started the expansion of Hwange Thermal Power Station and on completion; the plant is expected to add 600MW to the national grid.
