Business / Companies
NRZ exploring an alternative to copper to re-electrify the Dabuka-Harare railway line
04 Sep 2012 at 06:04hrs | Views
The National Railways of Zimbabwe is exploring an alternative to copper to re-electrify the Dabuka-Harare railway line vandalised by copper thieves, the technical director, Engineer Lewis Mukwada, has said.
Firming copper prices on the world market saw thieves hacking the entire section of the over 280km line, stealing the overhead wires over a two-year period. Eng Mukwada said the NRZ was looking at using alternative technology which would not fall prey to thieves.
He said apart from the stolen copper wires, most of the infrastructure to support the electrified section of the railways such as sub-stations, supports and locomotives was in place.
"We are exploring ways of re-electrifying the section using aluminum coated steel which is less attractive to thieves," he told delegates to a high level economic forum organised by the Ministry of Finance in Victoria Falls.
He said the parastatal, which moved 12 million tonnes of freight in the 1990s, needed $400 million in the short-term to maintain equipment and $1,1 billion in the long-term.
He said the $1,1 billion would enable the company to move volumes as in the 1990s figures. Eng Mukwada said they were talking to the Development Bank of Southern Africa for loans as local financial institutions were not able to offer the parastatal loans with a long tenure.
He said NRZ had so far rehabilitated 200 of its 5 000 wagons which were off the tracks while 10 of the broken down 96 locomotives have been repaired.
Eng Mukwada said the equipment used by the NRZ was outdated, with some of it having been acquired in the 1960s.
Firming copper prices on the world market saw thieves hacking the entire section of the over 280km line, stealing the overhead wires over a two-year period. Eng Mukwada said the NRZ was looking at using alternative technology which would not fall prey to thieves.
He said apart from the stolen copper wires, most of the infrastructure to support the electrified section of the railways such as sub-stations, supports and locomotives was in place.
"We are exploring ways of re-electrifying the section using aluminum coated steel which is less attractive to thieves," he told delegates to a high level economic forum organised by the Ministry of Finance in Victoria Falls.
He said the parastatal, which moved 12 million tonnes of freight in the 1990s, needed $400 million in the short-term to maintain equipment and $1,1 billion in the long-term.
He said the $1,1 billion would enable the company to move volumes as in the 1990s figures. Eng Mukwada said they were talking to the Development Bank of Southern Africa for loans as local financial institutions were not able to offer the parastatal loans with a long tenure.
He said NRZ had so far rehabilitated 200 of its 5 000 wagons which were off the tracks while 10 of the broken down 96 locomotives have been repaired.
Eng Mukwada said the equipment used by the NRZ was outdated, with some of it having been acquired in the 1960s.
Source - TC
