The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MANICALAND has potential to produce more than enough of its electricity needs as input from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in Honde Valley and Chipinge is able to meet two thirds of the provinces’ demands when operating at 100 percent capacity utilisation, it has been established.
A thriving power generation investment under Nyangani Renewable Energy (NRE) is running seven power stations in Honde Valley.
Given the mountainous terrain and hyper active waterways in the Eastern Highlands, several other hydropower stations are in the pipeline, especially in Honde Valley and Nyanga.
Feasibility studies for some of the projects have already been completed.
For the IPPs that are already operational, running water has been harnessed along river channels to produce a total of 32 Megawatts (MW).
Energy generated is sold to the sole buyer of electricity, the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), based on the arrangement between the two firms.
Nyamhingura Scheme along Nyamhingura River was commissioned in 2010 and is supplying 1.1MW to the national grid.
The Duru Scheme along Duru River, commissioned in March 2013, is supplying 2.2MW.
Pungwe A scheme on Nyamombe River was commissioned in January and is supplying 2.7MW.
The biggest contribution of 15MW is coming from Pungwe B Scheme which was commissioned in March 2015alongPungwe River.
A total of 3.8MW is coming from the Pungwe C Scheme which was commissioned along Chiteme River in March 2016.
Other power stations are under construction at Tsanga A andTsanga B in Nyanga, as well as another one in Hauna.
The Greenfuel IPP in Chisumbanje, Chipinge, is also producing electricity and feeding into the national grid.
NRE deputy operations manager, Mr Takudzwa Chigwande said during the peak of their electricity production, they are able to satisfy two thirds of Manicaland’s electricity requirements.
“We are looking at 30MW when it is raining. At one point we were contributing about two thirds of what Manicaland needs in terms of electricity. That was in December and January when we had plenty of rains.
“We generate more power when there is more rain. This is called run off river power generation, so the more it rains, the more energy we can produce.
“Honde Valley, for example, uses 1.5MW. If you subtract that from the 32MW we can generate, you see the value of these IPPs. In fact, Honde Valley has not known any power outages for years now. When there is no power in Honde Valley, it will be a fault that is quickly attended to,” said Mr Chigwande.
He said there is potential for more power stations in Honde Valley and surrounding areas.
“We started our operations in 2010 when we commissioned our first power station at Nyamhingura. We built several others, including the biggest one at Pungwe B.
“Tsanga River has a plan of a cascaded power station. That means upon completion, it will have a number of power stations down the slopes. There will be several power stations along the same river, one after the other. This is because the gradient permits.
“Tsanga A is under construction, while Tsanga B is already operational. There are also prospects for Tsanga C, Nyamhingura B, Chipote, Nyamwamba, just to mention a few.
“Feasibility studies have been already been done for some of the projects,” said Mr Chingwande.
As Zimbabwe works towards attaining Vision 2030, Manicaland’s efforts in power generation dovetails with the devolution agenda and the National Development Strategy 1.
Under devolution, each province will have its own economic development plan underpinned by its resources.
