All systems go for Pomona waste-to-energy project

ALL approvals have been made for the €304 million Pomona dumpsite waste-to-energy project that is expected to generate up to 22MW of electricity, with the site handover to the contractor, Geo Genix BV, now the outstanding issue.

The deal was approved by Cabinet on February 14 and signed by Harare City Council and Geo Genix BV on March 9.

It has already been granted National Project Status, a development that is expected to speed up it’s implementation.

In an interview yesterday, Harare acting town clerk, Engineer Phakamile Mabhena Moyo, said following the granting of the National Project Status, they are now supposed to start “the process of handing over the site as well as commencing the project anytime soon”.

Eng Moyo said this week, all stakeholders are expected to meet to finalise any outstanding issues.

Early this month, Finance and Economic Development Ministry Permanent Secretary, Mr George Guvamatanga, advised Local Government and Public Works Permanent Secretary, Mr Zvinechimwe Churu, that the project had been granted National Project Status.

Mr Guvamatanga said Mr Churu had requested Treasury to grant the project National Project Status.

The request was pursuant to the Cabinet decision of February 15 at which the project’s joint venture concept was also approved.

Mr Guvamatanga said the National Project Status concept decision had been limited to Public Sector Investment projects in terms of Statutory Instrument 5 of 2021.

“Furthermore goods eligible for rebate for duty will be imported in terms of sections 140 and 141 of the Customs and Excise (General) Regulations which specifically provide for Rebate of duty on goods that are imported temporarily or goods that are imported for incorporation into the permanent part of the project.

“In view of the above, I wish to advise that National Project Status has been granted and the technical teams will now need to work on the implementation modalities under this framework,” he said.

On April 7, Mr Churu advised Harare acting town clerk Eng Moyo that the Government had granted the Pomona waste-to-energy plant a National Project Status.

“You may therefore proceed to work on the implementation modalities under this joint venture agreement taking this approval into account,” he said.

Eng Moyo then wrote to Geo Genix BV managing director Mr Michael Peter Druijts informing him of the communication from Mr Churu.

“We now await the procurement of the sovereign guarantee which is now the only outstanding condition precedent to the fulfillment before site handover,” he said.

Mr Druijts advised Eng Moyo that with the unconditional consent of the company, it had appointed Mr Delish Nguwaya as its representative to sit on the liaison committee.

“The committee is responsible for steering the project forward and Mr Nguwaya is duly authorised to act for and on behalf of the company’s best interests,” he said.

The project will be managed and operated by the investor for a period of 30 years before transferring it to the City of Harare.

Apart from improving waste management, the generated electricity would be fed into the national grid and boost the availability of electricity in the country, especially as the Government pushes for increased production to attain an upper middle income society by 2030.

The Government is also encouraging local authorities to open up similar projects in their areas as a way of ensuring environmentally-friendly management of waste.

A feasibility study conducted by a reputable international company informed the wasteto-energy project. It is expected that the project will have a positive impact on Harare’s quest to go green.-The Herald