Calvin Manika
THE much anticipated Hwange thermal power expansion project of units 7 and 8 which was supposed to put power on the national grid by October this year and January 2022 respectively has been grossly affected by the Covid-19 global pandemic, officials have said.
Notwithstanding the challenges, the contractor is working flat out to see the mega project completed. This was revealed yesterday in Hwange during a visit at the expansion site by the minister of State for Matabeleland North Province Richard Moyo.
The delegation toured the installation of two giant boiler-turbines, generator sets with a combined capacity of 600MW plus, cooling towers, other civil and electrical engineering works which are underway in the third phase of the expansion project.
Since 2018 when President Emmerson Mnangagwa conducted the ground breaking ceremony, the expansion project has seen many monitoring checks and official visits by top government officials.
The project is run by Sino- Hydro Mauritius and Zimbabwe Power Company through a special company, Hwange Electricity Supply Company (HEXCO), with the former having 36% shares and the latter 64%.
Speaking during a tour brief, one of the supervising lead engineers, Engineer Forbes Chanakira said the project was affected by the global pandemic in logistics, hence a delay by 258 days in the completion of the expansion project.
“There were some delays in paying the contractor, therefore, affecting manufacturing of required equipment, logistics and manpower mobilisation. This has caused some delays, unit 7 is now expected in January 2022. We should have been at around 90,08% complete. But, now the project is 64, 63% complete,” said Chanakira.
Speaking to journalists, Moyo expressed satisfaction with the work being done at the site and promised to probe the central government for funds to complete the national project.
“I have seen the works being done here. Despite the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic, the companies involved are trying their best to complete the project. I will talk with the minister of Finance about the financial challenges facing the project, so that it will be completed within the laid down timeframe,” Moyo said.
Units 1 to 6 under the completed phase one and two have an installed capacity of 920 MW units. But, of late, due to aging machines, maintenance challenges and shortage of repairs, the power station would produce as low as 283MW.
The completion of the third phase with units 7 and 8 combined capacity of 600 MW and refurbishment of the existing units boost Hwange Power Station (HPS) to 1520MW units.
