That ancient Hwange power plant is finally getting a massive, overdue facelift. A 450 million dollar deal with a company called Jindal Steel and Power will fund a full refurbishment of the station's first six units, with work starting early next year. The acting boss of ZESA Holdings, Engineer Cletus Nyachowe, called the agreement a pivotal move to stabilize the national grid, aiming to restore the plant's original 920 megawatt output. The plan focuses first on a four-year overhaul of the aging Units 1 through 6, which should add 400 megawatts back to the system.
The project involves gutting and replacing core parts like the boilers, turbines, and generators in these units, which were built in phases starting back in the 1970s. The first four smaller units were hampered by construction delays from sanctions at the time, while the latter two units were built with higher capacity. This lengthy repowering effort, structured as a 15-year concession, is a direct attempt to fix the country's chronic power shortages by reviving its largest and most decrepit generation asset.
The project involves gutting and replacing core parts like the boilers, turbines, and generators in these units, which were built in phases starting back in the 1970s. The first four smaller units were hampered by construction delays from sanctions at the time, while the latter two units were built with higher capacity. This lengthy repowering effort, structured as a 15-year concession, is a direct attempt to fix the country's chronic power shortages by reviving its largest and most decrepit generation asset.
