Respite for Zimbabwe as Harava solar power plant comes alive in August 2020
London, June 29, 2020 (AltAfrica)-The Construction of the 20MW Harava Solar Project in Zimbabwe is now 70 percent complete and expected to start feeding into the national grid at Dema substation in two months time,
The ground-mounted solar station in Seke Rural District will provide clean energy in daylight hours giving Zesa Holdings extra energy to supply several thousands of households.
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The infrastructure, which will come into service within two months, will supply 45,000 households and participate in the government’s effort to reduce its dependence on hydroelectricity.
Harava Solar co-founder and chief executive officer Mr Ainos Ngadya said the final stage to the completion of the plant involved the mounting of the panels.
“The project is now 70% complete. We hope to start supplying the national power grid within two months. All the equipment necessary for the completion of the works is now available and we are convinced that the solar power plant will very soon be able to transmit its production to the national electricity network through the Dema substation, “ said Ainos Ngadya
He said upon completion, his company would start scholarship programmes mainly focusing on the girl child in line with the continent’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of improving gender parity.
Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi yesterday toured the project and expressed satisfaction with its progress. The minister, however, warned those holding on to solar generation licences for speculative purposes that they risk having the licences cancelled.
“My ministry has to be clear on this; every project that has been licenced must do like what is happening here. We want to encourage those that has been licensed to begin. Those who are holding licences for speculative purposes, I am sorry to say that hour is long gone.”
The powerhouse has a 132 kV transmission line that will allow the transmission of its production to the substation located 10 kilometers away.
It is the subject of a 25-year electricity buyback contract concluded with the national electric company, and is 7.3% owned by local communities.
