Zimbabwe's in need of adequate power supplies

Published: 01 July 2013

Zimbabwe's economy which is on the recovery path cannot grow productively without reliable and adequate power supplies, the Minister of Energy and Power Development, Elton Mangoma.

He said this while on the official installation of electricity at St Peters Jombe secondary school in Mutasa Central, Manicaland at the weekend.

"A country's development is measured by the number of people who use electricity. Zimbabwe is committed to produce electricity for all. An increased supply of electricity will not only ease pressure on indigenous forests on which people fall back on for fuel resulting in deforestation but will ease women's burden of fetching firewood, water and cooking," he said.

Minister Mangoma emphasised the importance of pupils to study science and technology and said this can only be truly achieved with the availability of electricity.

"Our children should be technologically literate. Electricity makes learning of science subjects easy. Students that study technology through hands-on approach achieve significantly better than students who are taught through traditional methods," he said adding that Zimbabwe is committed to produce electricity for all because no economy can function successfully without reliable and adequate electricity supplies.

After the official opening at the school, the minister toured Duru Hydro project in the same area, which is owned by Nyangani Renewable Energy. The hydro project has a capacity of 2.1 megawatt.

Nyangani Renewable Energy further owns a 1,1 megawatt capacity hydro electric plant at Nyamhingura and a 2,8 megawatt capacity hydro electric plant at Pungwe River, all in Mutasa district.

The Nyangani Renewable Energy hydro electric plants is benefitting more than 45000 people as well as rural businesses and clinics in Zindi, Mapokana and Sagambe villages across Honde Valley through the national ZESA grid.

"ZESA is the sole customer of Nyangani Renewable Energy and they pay us a competitive price. When they generate and supply electricity at this end, the quality of electricity is greatly improved as voltage is stabilised, loss of power is minimised and the impact is improved as compared from taking electricity from the western part of the country, in Hwange and Kariba to this end," he said.

Minister Mangoma said hydro electricity is renewable and environmentally friendly with minimal adverse effects. "With trees being used to substitute electricity due to the country's load shedding programme, an increased supply of electricity will also ease pressure on indigenous forests on which people especially in urban areas fall back on for fuel resulting in deforestation," he said.
- businessdaily