IPP seeks to increase power production capacity

AN independent power producer (IPP) with interests’ in a coal-fired power plant in Hwange has sought permission from the regulatory authority to increase production capacity from 270 megawatts to 720 megawatts.

Titan Power Private Limited has operations in the coal mining town of Hwange.

It is licensed under the Electricity Act (Chapter 13:19) of 2002, to construct, own and operate a 270 MW coal-fired power plant at Hwange.

The firm is now seeking permission from the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority to amend its generation licence which will enable it to increase production capacity.

“Notice is hereby given that Titan Power (Private) Limited, a company licensed under the Electricity Act (Chapter 13:19) of 2002, to construct, own and operate a 270 MW coal-fired power plant at Hwange as an independent power producer has submitted an application to the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority for amendment of its generation license number GC0115/2021 in terms of Section 49 (1)(b) of the Electricity Act (Chapter 12:19).

“The licence amendment would entail increasing the plant capacity from 270 MW to 720 MW.”

According to information gleaned on the parent firms’ website, Titan Power Plant will have the capacity to supply both the domestic and export markets.

It has a predicted annual revenue of US$292,5 million aimed at positively contributing to the growth of Zimbabwe’s economy.

“On the domestic front, besides contributing to the national grid, the plant will have the capacity to supply 250MW to all the ferrochrome plants countrywide thereby galvanising foreign currency generation as the products realised are sold exclusively in foreign currency.”

The country continues to pursue options that will result in increased power generation as it seeks to be energy self-sufficient and then consider exporting to the region.

Zimbabwe, like other regional countries, had been contending with serious power outages, but investments in increased power generation, especially at Hwange Power Station where an additional 600MW have been added, have largely changed the situation.

The country invested US$1,4 billion in the expansion of Hwange Power Station, where Units 7 and 8 were constructed.

Hwange’s Unit 7 was successfully synchronised with the national grid in March, a development that improved electricity availability.

Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) is on record saying a total of 14 IPPs with a capacity of 95,99MW are currently contributing to the national grid, with several other projects at different levels of implementation, as Zimbabwe moves towards energy efficiency.

Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority

According to Zera, renewable energy technologies now dominate the licensed power projects, in line with the country’s quest for increased cleaner and sustainable power supplies by the year 2025.

The country’s installed capacity of renewable energy, excluding large-scale hydropower, is expected to increase from about five percent in 2017 to about 27 percent in 2030.

Several companies have of late increased investment in renewable energy to offset the adverse impacts of erratic power supplies and also the projected El Nino weather phenomenon.

Companies such as Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc, Zimplats, Padenga, Ariston, and Tanganda have made efforts towards establishing alternative sources of energy such as solar to power their operations.

For instance, Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc constructed a 12,2MW solar plant at its Gwanda-based gold producer Blanket Mine.

The mining group has indicated the investment is now paying dividends as it is reducing electricity consumed from the national grid and has seen a decrease on month to month diesel usage achieving efficiency throughout the mining and processing.

Platinum group-metals (PGMs) giant, Zimplats has spent over US$1 million on the first phase of its 35 megawatt solar project at the Selous Metallurgical Complex with the final phase scheduled for completion in 2027 at a total project cost estimate of US$201 million.

Zimplats

According to NDS1, energy is a key enabler of the acceleration of the country’s modernisation and industrialisation agenda, as well as sustainable socio-economic growth.

To address perennial power shortages in the country, the Government is undertaking several electricity generation projects, most of which are financed by extra-budgetary funds, loans and the private sector.

The Government intends to increase Zimbabwe’s overall electricity supply from 2 317MW of installed capacity to 3 467MW by 2025. -chronicle