Courage Dutiro
Masvingo City Council has approved the proposal to construct and install a 1.6 Mega Watts solar power plant as an alternative power supply at the city’s Bushmead Water Works.
The development was revealed in the Finance and General Purposes Committee minutes of January 23, 2023 which shows that council has approved the construction of a US $ 5 122 000 power plant.
“The proposal to construct an alternative power supply at the Bushmead Waterworks at a cost of US $ 5 122 000 be approved,” read part of the minutes.
The local authority has agreed on the installation of a solar power plant following the feasibility study done by The Design Team Consulting Engineers.
The report also shows that the proposed 1.6 MW solar power plant has a running cost of US $ 14 760 per year.
“It was noted that the most suitable alternative was construction of a 1.6 MW solar power plant with running costs of US$ 14 760 per year compared to a 2.5 MVA Generator with a running cost of US $1 208 566. 80,” read part of the minutes.
The proposed solar power plant constitutes invertors; panel and battery bank but excludes overhead line construction.
Council is however yet to identify sources of funding for the project states part of the minutes.
The move by council to construct an alternative power plant is welcomed as the country is currently facing a power crisis following the announcement made by government late last year that water levels at Kariba dam had decreased to the extent that power generation had to stop under the instruction Zambezi Water Project.
Masvingo city has at times experienced water supply cuts to residents as a result of persistent power cuts by the power utility Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA).
Some of the resolutions made at Cop 27 also support the use of solar power as a source of energy following the trends displayed in climate change.
