The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT is working tirelessly to maintain the stable supply of affordable fuel by upgrading the Beira fuel pipeline to increase the throughput from 2.19 billion litres to three billion litres per annum, a project that should be completed by March 2024, a Cabinet Minister has said.
In his keynote address during his ministry’s strategic planning workshop in Mutare on Wednesday, Energy and Power Development Minister, Honourable Edgar Moyo said the completion of a six million litres ethanol storage facility in Harare will also go a long way in sustaining the blending of petrol with ethanol.
Ethanol producers, GreenFuel, are also expanding their production capacity in Chisumbanje.
“The fuel supply has been stable since the beginning of the year, although fuel prices have remained high due to increased international prices. Success in the following areas to enhance security of supply has been realised:
“Completion of the six million litres ethanol storage facility in Harare that will go a long way to sustain blending of petrol with ethanol.
“Upgrading of the pipeline throughput which should be completed by March 2024 to increase the throughput from 2.19 billion litres to 3 billion litres per annum.
“Construction of the Ruwa Liquid Petroleum Gas Depot that now has 650 metric tonnes capacity and will have 2000 metric tonnes capacity when complete.
“These projects, among others, will go a long way in ensuring the success of Vision 2030.
“The ministry remains seized with the reforms within our State Owned Enterprises (SOEs), particularly the merger of Petrotrade and Genesis and the re-bundling of Zesa group of companies,” he said.
The Energy and Power Development Minister said Government has provided the necessary conditions for Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to perform better.
“Government alone has no capacity to resolve the energy challenges, hence its recognition of the important role which the private sector plays in complementing the provision and construction of energy infrastructure.
“Independent Power Producers are currently contributing in excess of 90MW of the power which is being fed into the national grid. This capacity is expected to exceed 130MW by the end of the year through various projects which are currently under development.
“I urge IPPS to up their tempo as Government has provided the necessary conditions for them to perform, we are available for discussions to spur development,” he said.
Minister Moyo decried the upsurge in cases of vandalism on Zesa equipment.
“Vandalism and theft of Zesa infrastructure remains a challenge within the sector, with huge sums of money being channelled towards the replacement of infrastructure as opposed to reinforcement of the network.
“Zesa is expected to deal with vandalism as it is retrogressive to the achievements of the Second Republic. The use of technology, particularly ICT, is being encouraged to protect our infrastructure,” he said.
Speaking at the same function, the Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza invited more players in the IPPs sector to take advantage of the terrain and weather patterns in Manicaland to establish power generation plants.
“We are informed that this year the water levels do not allow for the usual hydro-power generation. Here in Manicaland, we have numerous sites that can accommodate hydro-power generation and that needs investors in the IPP sector to come on board and generate power for the nation,” he said.
The Ministry of Energy and Power Development workshop is expected to formulate the 2024- 2025 Strategic Plan and the 2024 Annual Plan.
These documents are key in guiding the ministry’s vision towards its strategic goal of achieving universal access to sustainable and modern energy by 2030.
This vision dovetails with the country’s aspirations of attaining an upper middle-income society by 2030.
