JOHANNESBURG, March 27 (Reuters) – Zimbabwe has short-listed
eleven bidders for the expansion of its Hwange and Kariba South
power plants, with a winner expected to be announced in the
third quarter of this year, its energy minister said on Tuesday.
It has been battling power shortages due to growing demand
and ageing plants, limiting supplies to industry and the key
mining sector. Zimbabwe produces around 1,000 MW of electricity,
compared with peak demand of 2,200 MW.
The extension of the Hwange thermal power station will add
600 megawatts (MW) to the Zimbabwean national grid, while the
extension of the Kariba South hydro plant will add 300 MW.
Elton Mangoma said companies from China, India, South Korea,
Italy and Brazil were among the shortlisted and the firms have
until the first week in June to submit a detailed proposal.
“I’m hoping that it will not take more than three months to
adjudicate and thereafter award the tender. We are hoping that
in the fourth quarter we can move on the projects,” he told
Reuters on the sidelines of an African power conference in
Johannesburg.
Mangoma said additional units at the two plants will be
operated in a public-partnership between the Zimbabwe government
and whoever is chosen to build the plants.
The minister said Zimbabwe still owed around $85 million in
unpaid power imports, mainly to neighbouring Mozambique.
Mangoma said he was meeting Mozambican officials on Thursday
to address the issue, especially after Mozambique halved its
exports to Zimbabwe to 50 MW due to the unpaid bills.
The minister said that together with neighbouring Zambia his
country had in February decided to revive the Batoka Gorge
hydroelectric power project, estimated to cost $2.5 billion, and
expected to supply a total of 1,600 MW to the two countries.
Continued…
