The current power cuts that Zimbabwe is currently experiencing are likely to lessen next year, as “the Hwange Thermal Power Station Unit 7 and 8 expansion program is now at 88 per cent”.
The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) confirmed the development, insisting that by March 2023, the two units are expected to fully come online to add around 600MW of power to the national grid when fully operational.
In a statement, ZESA Holdings’ power generating subsidiary, ZPC, said it has started test runs for the main units.
“The USD$1.5 billion Hwange Unit 7 and 8 expansion project which is set to boost the national power grid by 600MW is progressing well, with the construction status now at 88 per cent.
“Commissioning of auxiliaries for the Hwange stage 3 plant is now in progress, with the commissioning works for the water treatment plant – a key component in the thermal generation process, expected to be completed in July this year.
“Other commissioning works expected to begin in the coming weeks include the boiler auxiliary, as well as back feed energization — a process which supplies power to run the auxiliaries until the start-up of the main units.
“The commissioning of the various plant auxiliaries is a prerequisite to the running of the main units which are expected to be in full operation in March next year,” reads the statement.
Zimbabwe has seen load shedding for the past decade, which prompted the government to expand the Hwange Power Station to cope with the country’s electricity demands.
The expansion project, which commenced in August 2018 at Hwange Power Station, will result in a third stage being added to the station, with 2 x 300MW units being constructed.
The expansion project will increase Hwange’s generation capacity from 920MW to 1520MW.
