Sable Chemicals to set up 400MW solar plant

KWEKWE-based ammonium nitrate producer, Sable Chemical Industries, is carrying out pre-feasibility studies with the view of setting up an ambitious 400 megawatt solar plant near its factory site.

‘The Sable Solar Park’ is jointly being implemented by JCM Power Corporation, a Canadian company, Tatanga Energy Private Limited, a Zimbabwe-incorporated company, which has grown to become a popular independent power producer in the Sub-Saharan Africa and Masawara Limited, the parent company of Sable.

The project will utilise a 100-hectare piece of land owned by the fertiliser giant to the north of the plant where enough land has been identified to just fit in the initial 50MW first phase of the project.

Project development officer, Ms Rumbidzai Chinyemba, said the project will be rolled out in phases, starting with a 50MW plant.

“We will start with a 50MW solar plant with a view of gradually expanding to 400MW in the near future that will be fed into the national grid.

“The proposed project is expected to start construction in January 2025 and the first phase is expected to last between 12 and 15 months with connection to the grid and operational phase expected by the end of 2025,” she said.

Ms Chinyemba said the project will not only go a long way in assisting in solving the country’s power deficit but also create employment opportunities.

“The project is projected to provide employment to approximately 500 local people during the construction. Once construction is completed the project expects to employ about 50 local people during operations,” she said.

Some of the solar energy generated will be used to power the company’s operations and the balance will be fed into the national power grid.

“It (project) will contribute to the country’s National Development Strategy and Vision 2030 in line with the Renewable Energy Master Plan, solving power deficiency in the country. The project will also satisfy the SDG goals number seven and 13 to name but only a few,” said Ms Chinyemba.

This latest development will see the company being power independent from the grid and resume production.-chrocnile