PLANS UNDERWAY TO ENSURE SAPP MEMBERS HAVE ADEQUATE POWER
THE establishment of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) has seen the region develop economically and play a pivotal role in electricity generation capacity, Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda, has said.
Speaking at the official opening of the SAPP Coordination Centre Office in Harare yesterday, Minister Soda said plans were underway to ensure every member state has adequate electricity.
“Of late, the electricity supply industry in the SADC region has been characterised by insufficient generation capacity to meet the growing power demand where the current generation capacity shortfall has been as high as 5 000MW during certain periods,” he said.
“SAPP is also working on an innovative financing approach, the Regional Transmission Infrastructure Financing Facility, with the objective of unlocking transmission constraints and promoting the financing and development of new transmission infrastructure.
“This is expected to facilitate funding of cross border interconnectors, including those connecting countries that are not yet connected to the SAPP grid.”
Minister Soda said they will exhaust all available solutions to ensure adequate electricity across the region.
“For instance, here in Zimbabwe you will notice that through SAPP we are able to get electricity from Eskom, we also utilise electricity from Zambia so you find that being a member state of SAPP has advantages whereby member states can utilise excess electricity in other countries,” he said.
“There are plans to ensure that every SAPP member gets electricity.
“Along the Zambezi River there is the potential of generating an excess of 15 000 megawatts through conjunctive operations.
“Already there is Batoka which is being developed and we are expecting a generation of around 2 400 megawatts.
“Working with Mozambique, there is potential to develop many other projects so we find that working as a team in the region is giving advantages to us and not only Zimbabwe, but other members.”
Minister Soda said Zimbabwe has several generation projects that are under construction and at the planning stage.
“The commissioning of a 300MW unit number seven at Hwange Power Station is underway and is expected to be available in November/ December 2022,” he said.
“The last 300MW units will be commissioned during the first quarter of 2023.
“These new projects will significantly improve the power supply situation in Zimbabwe because the electricity demand is driven by a resurgence of mining and industrial activities.”