Zimbabwe Power Company has disclosed that the construction of a 5 megawatts (MW) mini hydropower plant at Lake Mutirikwi Dam in Masvingo, Zimbabwe, has reached 75 per cent completion. The $14,5 million power station is getting ready for commissioning at the end of April 2024.

The hydropower project commenced construction in March 2022 and was to be commissioned in November 2023. The construction was, however, rescheduled due to the unprecedented demand for irrigation water in the cane plantations in the Lowveld.

Notwithstanding, the construction of a 24km powerline from the power station to the Kyle sub-station was ongoing. This prompted the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) to release water downstream of Lake Mutirikwi and, in the process, caused construction delays. Furthermore, heavy rains also exacerbated the delay over the past two months. This clean energy project is one of the many flagship ventures that have pivoted Masvingo towards self-sustainability in clean energy.

The project created jobs for more than 150 unskilled workers from the surrounding communities of Murinye and Chikwanda, which have welcomed the project’s roll-out for its employment benefits. The penstock will channel water from the dam to the powerhouse, powering the turbines to generate electricity. The government of Zimbabwe has announced plans to have a second 5MW plant further downstream, taking the power output along the Mutirikwi River to 10MW. Feasibility studies for a bigger hydropower plant at Tugwi-Mukosi in southern Chivi that will generate 17MW have also been completed.