- Zimplats to build two solar power plants.
- The plants will have a total capacity of 185MW.
Mining company Impala Platinum’s Zimbabwe unit, Zimplats, has plans to construct two solar power plants with a total capacity of 185MW to power its operations in the country. According to the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA), Zimplats has applied to develop a 105MW solar power plant at its Ngezi mines and 85MW at its nearby Selous smelter. Zimplats currently imports electricity for its operations from Mozambique’s Hydro Cahora Bassa.
Zimbabwe has been plagued recently with severe power shortages over the past couple of years. As a result, Zimbabwe current electricity production is 35 per cent lower than its demand. However, Zimbabwean authorities forecast the addition of about 100MW of electricity from clean energy sources by the end of the year, especially as many commercial and industrial consumers increasingly turn to renewable energy sources for self-generation.