Hwange Solar Power Station
CountryZimbabwe
LocationCross Mabale, Hwange, Hwange District, Matabeleland North Province
Coordinates18°34′02″S 27°01′54″E / 18.567325°S 27.031536°E / -18.567325; 27.031536
StatusOperational
Owner(s)SolGas Energy
Operator(s)SolGas Energy
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Site area100 hectares (250 acres)
Power generation
Nameplate capacity50 MW (67,000 hp)

The Hwange Solar Power Station, also Cross Mabale Solar Power Station, is a 15 MW (20,000 hp) solar power plant in Zimbabwe. The power station was initially commercially commissioned as a 5 MW power station in 2021. It is owned and was developed by SolGas Energy, a Zimbabwean independent power producer. The off-taker is Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), which integrates the energy into the national grid. A 25-year power purchase agreement governs the sale and purchase of electricity between SolGas Energy and ZETDC.[1]

Location

The power station is located in the community of Cross Mabale, in the city of Hwange, in Hwange District, in Matabeleland North Province, in western Zimbabwe.[1] Hwange is located about 463 kilometres (288 mi) northwest of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city.[2] This is approximately 103 kilometres (64 mi) southeast of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, at the international border with Zambia.[3]

Overview

The power station is designed to have capacity of 50 megawatts, developed in several phases. The first phase was of 5 megawatts.[1] As of July 2022, the power station was entering constriction of the second phase of 10 megawatts to bring new total capacity to 15 MW.[4] Subsequent phases are expected to expand the power station to the designed capacity.[1][4]

Construction

The first phase of this project, with capacity of 5 MW, cost US$7.5 million. The contractors were Soventix SA, Excess Africa and Proconics, all South African companies. As part of this development, SolGas constructed a new 33kV transmission line, measuring approximately 28 kilometres (17 mi) from Cross Mabale to the ZETDC substation at Dete to evacuate the power to the grid.[1][4]

Financing

The development project has received funding support from several partners. These have included Old Mutual, ANF Capital, Ainos Ngadya, Mushoriwa-Pasi Corporate Attorneys and Stanbic Bank. Old Mutual Investments Group also acquired 49 percent shareholding in SolGas Energy in 2017.[1][4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jean Marie Takouleu (14 October 2021). "Zimbabwe: Solgas Energy commissions its 5 MWp Cross Mabale solar power". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  2. ↑ Google (12 July 2022). "Travel Distance Between Bulawayo, Zimbabwe And Hwange, Zimbabwe" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  3. ↑ Google (12 July 2022). "Distance Between Hwange, Zimbabwe And Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Renew Africa Business (7 July 2022). "Hwange solar plant expansion on cards". RenewAfrica.Biz. Cape Town, South Africa. Retrieved 12 July 2022. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
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