Roseline Mutare
The US$14.6m Lake Mutirikwi hydro power station in Masvingo is 100% physically complete and the team on the ground is conducting test runs for the 5MW power plant.
Great Zimbabwe Hydro Power Company Hubert Chipfumbu, the project coordinator (pictured) confirmed the development to The Midweek Watch in a telephone interview.
The power station’s completion will mark a significant milestone in the energy sector which is facing myriad problems including frequent breakdowns at the age old Hwange Power Station which sometimes reduce output from 1 100MW to less than 300MW causing load shedding of more than 19hours a day.
The construction of the historic power plant in Masvingo commenced in 2022 and it is located downstream of the dam wall which was built in 1960 by the colonial regime.
“We are now focused on dry and wet commissioning, and we target to complete this process by the end of the first week of November, once operational, this 5-megawatt hydro power station will feed electricity into the national grid, with the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) as our off taker,” said Chipfumbu.
“We have already employed over 200 people from surrounding areas, mostly unskilled laborers, who assisted with power line construction, access road development, and civil works. Upon completion, we will create 20 permanent jobs,” he said.
Meanwhile, as part of the project’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, Chipfumbu said, 25 scholarships have been awarded to underprivileged children from Masvingo Province.
“Eight scholarships are for tertiary education at universities, while 18 are for secondary school, we are not only enhancing Zimbabwe’s energy capacity but also leaving a lasting legacy through our investment in local employment and education. We are proud to contribute to the growth and development of Masvingo Province, and committed to empowering the next generation and contributing to our community’s development,” he explained.
