Bulawayo set to start generating electricity in February
by Byo24NEWS
2011 January 29 14:11:12
THE Bulawayo Thermal Power Station will start generating power in February,
a development set to bring excitement to the city, popularly known as
Kontuthu ziyathunqa because of the smoke emitted by the towers.
The power station stopped generating power in 2000 owing to operational
challenges. In an interview on Thursday ZESA spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira
could not be drawn to reveal how much power would be generated from the
plant.
“I can confirm that generation will commence this quarter, thereby
contributing to the national output.
“We hope to start generating electricity mid-February 2011 if all goes
according to plan,” said Mr Gwasira.
He said at the moment preparatory work to refurbish the power station was in
progress hence could not confirm when the plant could generate power.
“The activities that are currently taking place at Bulawayo Power Station
are test runs of equipment in preparation for the anticipated generation,”
said Mr Gwasira.
The revival of Bulawayo’s power generation comes after the signing of a
Memorandum of Understanding between Zimbabwe and Botswana in October last
year.
The MoU was such that Botswana would inject US$9 million, while Zimbabwe
supplied 45 megawatts of power for three years in return.
At the moment the country produces 1 200 megawatts instead of a peak demand
of 2 200 megawatts. Mr Gwasira said the only way to close this demand-supply
gap was to build extra generation capacity, which would take at least three
and-a-half years from the time funding has been secured