By Virginia Njovo
Masvingo-The USD$14, 6 million Lake Mutirikwi Hydro Power Station located at Mutirikwi dam in Masvingo is now 95 percent complete, government has said.
The power station will generate 5MW electricity power which is going to be fed into the national grid, contributing to Zimbabwe’s overall power generation and Masvingo Province is expected to benefit significantly from this project.
Speaking to TellZim News, Permanent Secretary in the office of Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Dr Addmore Pazvakavambwa said the power plant whose construction commenced in March 2022 at Mutirikwi Dam is now at 95 percent and should be ready by the end of this month (August).
“The 5MW power plant is now at 95 percent completion and we were given by the Great Zimbabwe Hydro Power Company that by the end of August 2024 the plant will be complete and ready for commissioning,” said Dr Pazvakavambwa.
The Lake Mutirikwi power project is being undertaken by the Great Zimbabwe Hydropower Company, which is working with a Danish firm, Frontier Energy, and Old Mutual Life Assurance Company as partners.
In an interview with TellZim News, Great Zimbabwe Project Coordinator Hubert Chifumbu said the project was expected to complete by the end of July 2024 but due to the downstream demands for irrigation in the Lowveld, some water had to be released from Lake Mutirikwi and as per their water use agreement with ZINWA that the power plant is not going to disturb downstream operations.
“We were expecting the project to be complete by end of July 2024 but due to the downstream requirements which were supposed to be met, we had some delays but we are at 95 percent complete now; by the end of August 2024 we will be done and in September the power plant will be commissioned, “said Chifumbu.
Chifumbu said the 5MW power plant was going to cater for 20 percent of required electricity by Masvingo Province but since there is another large inland dam in Masvingo, another power plant could be established at Tugwi Mukosi Dam which generates 17MW.
“The Mutirikwi hydro plant can generate 20 percent of the power needed by Masvingo Province and we are hoping to construct another hydro plant at Tugwi Mukosi Dam which is capable of generating 17 MW,” said Chifumbu.
He also said the generated power will simply be fed into the national grid contrary to what people believe that the power will be used in Masvingo only and said if there was proper utilization of water bodies in the province, Masvingo would later be independent in power generation and supply.
“The power generated at the Mutirikwi hydropower station is not only for Masvingo Province alone. It will be fed in the national grid and ZETDC will be responsible for distribution,” said Chifumbu.
Currently, Masvingo Province is getting power from Hwange and Kariba hydropower stations according to the statistics from the Zimbabwe Power Council (ZPC) together with Ministry of Energy and Power Development statistics, Masvingo Province’s demand for electricity is around 20-25 MW.
Zimbabwe and Zambia have reduced electricity generation at the Kariba Dam to conserve water, leading to prolonged load shedding in both countries. The water levels at Kariba Dam are decreasing daily, as more water is being released than is replenishing the dam, leaving less water available for power generation.
As of July 29, 2024, the lake’s water levels stood at 447.04 meters, a significant drop from 479.69 meters on the same date in 2023. This decline corresponds to a reduction in usable storage capacity, which has decreased from 29.56 percent to just 10.63 percent over the past year.
The ongoing drop in water levels at the Kariba Dam threatens the ability to maintain optimal hydropower generation, posing risks for energy supplies in both Zimbabwe and Zambia.
