Business / Companies
ZPC to upgrade thermal power stations
05 Jul 2013 at 05:10hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe Power Company wants to upgrade equipment at its three small thermal power stations in Bulawayo, Munyati and Harare because they are not operating at optimum levels because of old age, the managing director Mr Joe Sithole, has said.
He said the power stations were operating at a fraction of the installed capacity.
The Bulawayo Power Station, which was mothballed for more than 10 years and brought back to service in 2011 when power shortages intensified, is producing 30 Mega watts out of an installed capacity of 90 MW.
Munyati, which has a capacity of 100 MW, is producing 40 MW while Harare is generating 20 MW from an installed capacity of 100 MW.
"Small thermal power stations have not managed to run at capacity. The Bulawayo Power Station is very old and we can't get the spares," he said in a paper presented on his behalf at a symposium organised by the National Railways of Zimbabwe last week.
Mr Sithole said the thermal power stations were more than 70 years old.
He said in a bid to boost power generation at the three thermal stations, plans were underway to install new technology.
"We want to change the technology at small thermals and if finances are secured, this project should be complete by 2017," he said.
Zimbabwe has a power deficit as it generates 1 320 MW against a demand of 2 200 MW.
The shortfall is met through imports largely from Mozambique and load shedding.
A number of projects have been lined up to increase power generation including installation of two additional units at Hwange Power Station to up production by 600 MW.
The new two units at HPS, each with a capacity of 300 MW, were expected to come online in 2018.
Mr Sithole said coal supplies to fire the thermals power stations had greatly improved after a period when Hwange Colliery Company, at one time the country's sole producer of coal, failed to meet demand.
Government has since awarded special grants to new miners who are complementing HCCL in the supply of coal to power stations.
He said Hwange Power Station consumed 8 000 tonnes of coal a day while an additional 30 000 tonnes was required for stockpiling.
Bulawayo required 700 tonnes per day, Harare 700 tonnes and Munyati 624 tonnes.
But he said the NRZ has not been able to meet the targets it gave in coal transportation and there was a need for improvement.
He said the power stations were operating at a fraction of the installed capacity.
The Bulawayo Power Station, which was mothballed for more than 10 years and brought back to service in 2011 when power shortages intensified, is producing 30 Mega watts out of an installed capacity of 90 MW.
Munyati, which has a capacity of 100 MW, is producing 40 MW while Harare is generating 20 MW from an installed capacity of 100 MW.
"Small thermal power stations have not managed to run at capacity. The Bulawayo Power Station is very old and we can't get the spares," he said in a paper presented on his behalf at a symposium organised by the National Railways of Zimbabwe last week.
Mr Sithole said the thermal power stations were more than 70 years old.
He said in a bid to boost power generation at the three thermal stations, plans were underway to install new technology.
"We want to change the technology at small thermals and if finances are secured, this project should be complete by 2017," he said.
Zimbabwe has a power deficit as it generates 1 320 MW against a demand of 2 200 MW.
The shortfall is met through imports largely from Mozambique and load shedding.
A number of projects have been lined up to increase power generation including installation of two additional units at Hwange Power Station to up production by 600 MW.
The new two units at HPS, each with a capacity of 300 MW, were expected to come online in 2018.
Mr Sithole said coal supplies to fire the thermals power stations had greatly improved after a period when Hwange Colliery Company, at one time the country's sole producer of coal, failed to meet demand.
Government has since awarded special grants to new miners who are complementing HCCL in the supply of coal to power stations.
He said Hwange Power Station consumed 8 000 tonnes of coal a day while an additional 30 000 tonnes was required for stockpiling.
Bulawayo required 700 tonnes per day, Harare 700 tonnes and Munyati 624 tonnes.
But he said the NRZ has not been able to meet the targets it gave in coal transportation and there was a need for improvement.
Source - chronicle
