Nqobile Bhebhe, Senior Business Reporter
The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) is this week expecting to take delivery of the third batch of Hwange B substation transformers, a major boost for the Hwange 7 and 8 expansion project.
The transformers will help reduce numerous power interruptions that have a negative impact on households, industries, human capital institutions and essential basic service delivery, ZPC said.
In an update yesterday, the power firm said the overall Hwange 7 and 8 expansion project is now at 94 percent while the Hwange B substation works are expected to be completed in time for planned commissioning of Hwange unit 7 next month.
“Zimbabwe Power Company will this week receive the third batch of Hwange B substation transformers, a major milestone in the Hwange 7 and 8 expansion project,” reads part of the statement.
“The two auto transformers for the Hwange 7 and 8 substation are sized at 630 MVA, 400/330 KV each, with the construction of transformer foundations having since started and most of the work completed.
“The milestone is expected to contribute immensely towards the key aspirations of the National Development Strategy (NSD 1) and Vision 2030 which is targeted to immensely contribute in achieving energy self-sufficiency as we move towards total electrification of the country.”
The power firm said substations are crucial to the Hwange 7 and 8 project for the transmission and distribution of the generated power to different loads countrywide and feeding into the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) region.
The US$1,5 billion Hwange Power Station Unit 7 and 8 expansion project is one of the flagship projects being implemented under the Second Republic in line with Vision 2030, which aims to transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy.
The project began in August 2018 following a ground-breaking ceremony by President Mnangagwa while the main construction of two additional coal-fired units of 300MW capacity each was started in March 2019.
The power station is expected to generate more than 60 percent of Zimbabwe’s electricity needs following the expansion.
The project is funded by China Exim Bank and is being executed by Sinohydro and the Government of Zimbabwe through the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and is expected to be a game-changer in terms of enhancing power supply in the country.
Other substations, Insukamini and the Marvel substation both in Bulawayo which will have lines connecting to the Hwange B substations are also expected to be completed in November.
“These Bulawayo substations will enable the transmission of electricity to consumers in Bulawayo and Matabeleland South and North provinces. Sherwood substations which is situated in Kwekwe will be completed in March 2023, in time for Hwange Unit 8 commissioning. Customers fed by the Sherwood substation are spread over the Midlands, Mashonaland East, West and Masvingo province.”
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