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Nqobile Bhebhe, Senior Business Reporter
A private firm — Siyavuma Incorporated (Private) Limited is establishing a US$60 million, 50 megawatts solar photovoltaic plant at Cyrene Farm, a development that will see 300 people being employed to boost the country’s energy generation.

The project aims to expand to a total capacity of 100 MW through two phases of 50 MW each.

The planned solar power project dovetails with the Government’s thrust to promote green energy development.
So far, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has licensed over 60 independent power producers (IPPs) but only 30 of them are operational. The IPPs are feeding 94,08MW to the national grid. Many of them are just designed to meet the in-house needs of respective companies as opposed to generating power for the national grid.

THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera)

Siyavuma Incorporated has since lodged an application with Zera to start the project that will see the generated electricity being fed into the national grid.

“Notice is hereby issued in terms of section 4(3) of the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations, 2008 published in Statutory Instrument 103 of 2008 that the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has received an application from Siyavuma Incorporated (Private) Limited to construct, own, operate and maintain a 50MW solar photovoltaic plant for generation and supply of electricity.

“The plant will be located at Cyrene Farm in Bulawayo Province,” reads part of the notice.

The project will be connected to the grid by construction of approximately 15 kilometres (at 88kV) of a single circuit line from the proposed Siyavuma Solar Farm Substation to the existing Insukamini substation.

Outlining the scope of the project yesterday, Siyavuma Incorporated Head of Corporate Affairs, Ms Gloria Mlotshwa said 300 jobs will be immediately created with the bulk of workers coming from the local community.

“This project will see the local economy grow with the security of the finance investment being made. Moreover, local communities will benefit significantly as the project has the potential of creating 300 employees who will be drawn from the province,” she said.

“As a whole, this 50 MW plant will mutually benefit the church ( Cyrene Mission Church) the economy, local communities and support national development goals in providing a clean and sustainable source of energy to the country’s national grid.”

Siyavuma Incorporated solar project was born out of a clarion call by the Government for IPPs to come on board to help address the power deficit that has impacted Zimbabwe and the Southern African region.

Its major focus is exploring and promoting renewable energy and power generation.

“The solar plant will occupy a 205-hectare site in Cyrene, Bulawayo, previously known as Cyrene Farm, with notable structures nearby such as Cyrene Mission Church and Cyrene Mission School,” Ms Mlotshwa said

“This site was selected due to the advantage of being near ZETDC Insukamini Sub Station. The project aims to expand to a total capacity of 100MW through two phases of 50MW each and this substation has the capacity to handle an extra 160MW.”

Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC)

Ms Mlotshwa said the first 50MW will consist of the initial development construction of the plant complex all handled by Bulawayo-based contractors that specialise in housing construction, ground preparation, security and fencing.

“Thereafter, an EPC Partner from Dubai will work in collaboration with Siyavuma to establish the actual solar plant.

“Siyavuma has been working closely over the past 18 months to establish strong partnerships with the Local Government and the relevant ministries connected to this solar plant.

“The total cost of setting up the first 50MW plant is US$60 million. Siyavuma is extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity to have a presence in Matabeleland,” she noted.

Energy and Power Development Secretary, Dr Gloria Magombo

Recently, Energy and Power Development Permanent Secretary Dr Gloria Magombo said Government commends private sector players that have invested in solar as an alternative energy source.

She said there are more than a dozen solar projects that have been installed countrywide and some of them are already running and connected to the national grid.

This is in keeping with the global trends on the need to curb pollution and global warming through investment in environmentally friendly power projects.

The Government has crafted the national renewable energy policy structure to achieve and install a renewable capacity of 1 100MW