Zimbabwe to Add 600 Megawatts to Hwange's Baseload Power

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Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) has entered the second phase in implementing the Hwangwe 7 and 8 expansion project in the northwestern area of the country. The project is intended to reduce chronic load shedding and increase the security of Zimbabwe's power system security by adding baseload power.

The project will add 600 megawatts (MW) of capacity, with two 300-MW thermal turbines. Currently, the power station has a capacity of 920 MW, with four 220-MW units installed between 1983 and 1986, and two 220-MW units commissioned in 1986 and 1987. Operating as a baseload power station, Hwange meets about 50% of the country's current needs, operating within a damaged economy. Currently, Zimbabwe imports power from regional neighbors and is becoming involved in regional power grid development schemes.

If work on the project begins as scheduled during 2013, it should be completed in 2017 at an estimated cost of $900 million. It will be financed through loans and will be contracted under a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) scheme. There is some skepticism in Zimbabwe about the project, as so much has been promised in the past but so little been done about the power problem.

In addition to the Hwange expansion, ZPC has initiated the Gairezi project in the Eastern Highlands. This will be a 30-MW hydropower station on the Gairezi River. ZPC also has embarked on an intensive training program for senior operators at Hwange to improve and maintain levels of service. A group of 10 plant operators from Hwange are in India for simulator training to enhance their skills and give them exposure to the running of a power station.

Hwange is the largest coal-fired station in the country and was recently awarded the ISO 9001: 2008 quality management systems certificate.

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