MARTIN MAWAYA
BUBI-Turk mine’s 4.4MW solar plant is benefiting more than 400 households in the Bubi district.
These include the villages of Badala, Mahlabathini, Mahamba, Maqaqeni, Nkenyane, and Sailors Hope, all under Chief Mtshane Khumalo.
In addition, the community is being employed by the gold miner at the solar plant as the power lines remain unobstructed, enhancing the ease of doing business for local enterprises and surrounding farms.
The Turk Mine, one of the oldest gold mines in Zimbabwe, is located about 55 km from Bulawayo along the Nkayi road.
The mine’s 4.4MW solar plant, which has 8,064 solar panels, 36 inverters, and four transformers, was licensed by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) after meeting the agency’s specifications and requirements.
The solar plant, which has a lifespan of 25 years, services the mine, surrounding villages, schools, businesses, hospitals and the water supply infrastructure.
During the peak of construction, the project employed 80 workers from the community.
According to Turk Mine project engineer Wilson Mujuru, the company is exploring the possibility of boosting the solar plant’s capacity by an additional 1.5 megawatts, which would bring the total output to 5.9 megawatts.
“We are exploring expansion plans and opportunities for energy storage solutions to further optimize our operations. There is another area that has been cleared, that is where we are going to have another solar farm. We need to do an additional 1.5MW which we will share the generated power outside the space we are covering right now,” explained Mujuru.
The solar plant, which was constructed at a low cost and took three months to complete, saves the mine approximately $80,000 to $90,000 monthly.
“While the mine currently does not export excess power to the grid, it has a license from ZERA to do so if there is a surplus,” added Mujuru.
Initiated in 2022, the Turk mine solar project provides a reliable energy source for locals, strengthens the company’s energy independence, and mitigates environmental effects.
