TUESDAY, 4.30PM
ZIMBABWE’s first privately owned mini hydroelectric power station, which will feed electricity into the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority national power grid, will come on stream later this week.
The 750 kW hydroelectric station, constructed at a cost of Z$7,5-million ($681 000), is situated on the Nyahode river, in the Chimanimani mountains. The project is being implemented by the Rusitu Power Corporation, Zimbabwe Energy Corporation and a local non government organisation, Enda-Zimbabwe.
Zesa regional manager Enock Ncube said technicians from the national power utility and Rusitu companies are working on harmonising the two power systems. “When a small system is to feed into a bigger system such as that of Zesa, there is need to synchronise their operations to ensure we have no adverse effects,” he said.
“We have since commissioned all equipment. By the end of this week we will be operating,” said Rusitu managing director John Miller.
Zesa signed a 25-year power purchase contract with Rusitu last year, which will enable Zesa to buy 3,8-million units to be fed into its grid in a year. Rusitu is currently examining the possibility of establishing other mini hydroelectric power stations in other parts of the country.