George Maponga in Masvingo
Construction of a $35 million mini hydro power plant at Tokwe-Mukosi Dam in Chivi has stopped as funds have run dry. Upon completion, the power plant is expected to produce 15 megawatts (MW) of electricity that will be fed into the national grid.
Work on the plant had started in the second quarter of this year after Government awarded Salini Impregilo the contract to build a $7 million power house, where the mini hydro power plant would be installed. The Italian firm was also the contractor at Tokwe-Mukosi Dam.
However, work on the power house has since stopped because of funding shortages. Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) resident engineer Paul Dengu yesterday refused to shed more details on what had caused the work stoppage.
‘’I am not allowed to speak to the Press, so I am not in a position to say what caused (the) work stoppage at the power house,’’ he said.
Salini was already doing civil works before the project prematurely stopped. Mr Dengu said construction of the mini hydro power plant was one of the key projects captured in the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam master plan. Sources at the dam said work on the power house stopped several months ago as funds dried up.
“Salini had indicated that it has the capacity to build the power house where the mini hydro power plant would be installed and the Italian firm was given the nod to go ahead as it was cheaper for Government to give that job to a contractor already on the ground,’’ said a source at Tokwe-Mukosi, who refused to be named citing protocol.
However, Salini, the source added, was forced to stop further civil works after Government failed to allocate more resources for the power project. Government hired a consultancy firm to craft a master plan on how Tokwe-Mukosi Dam could be exploited for economic benefit. The master plan is now waiting Cabinet approval.
Tokwe-Mukosi was commissioned by former President Cde Robert Mugabe in May this year having been under construction for about 17 years. Government wholly funded the project to the tune of nearly $300 million. The dam is now Zimbabwe’s largest inland dam, with a capacity of 1,8 billion cubic metres when full.
It has the potential to irrigate more than 25 000 hectares. Besides power generation and irrigation, Tokwe-Mukosi also has the potential to be a major fisheries hub in Masvingo. A mega national park is planned around the dam, making it a potential tourist attraction.