ZIMBABWE TO COMMENCE CONSTRUCTION OF SENGWA THERMAL POWER STATION

Zimbabwe is set commence construction a 2 800-MW thermal power station in Sengwa, Gokwe North at a cost of US $1.5bn, following RioZim, the project developers moving to the next phase of preliminary works, which entail, chiefly, signing a power purchase agreement.

The thermal power station project has been in the pipeline for since the early 1990s. RioZim signed framework and exclusivity agreements with Power China in November 2018, completed a full design and feasibility of the Power station, route and design of the water supply pipeline from the Zambezi River, design of 420kV power evacuation lines from Sengwa to Selous and coal mining plan and fuel coal delivery to station.

Phase one of the Sengwa thermal project involves the construction of two 350MW of coal fired power and 400km power line. The contractor is currently on site conducting initial evaluations which precede financial closure.

Power China, the sister company of Sinohydro, which is presently involved in the expansion project on Kariba South, is preparing the bill of quantities on the pipeline and power lines. The bill is a requirement by the financiers in order to know the cost of water pipeline from Kariba to Sengwa and the cost of evacuation lines from Sengwa to Sherwood.

Upon completion, Sengwa will be among Zimbabwe’s two biggest power plants after the 2400 MW Batoka project. The 2000MW of power expected to be produced will be fed from RioZim’s coal claims in Senegwa Coal Deposit with proven ore reserves in excess of 525 million tonnes.https://constructionreviewonline.com/2019/07/zimbwabwe-to-commence-construction-of-sengwa-thermal-power-station/