The country’s electricity demand is expected to rise to 5,000 Megawatts by 2030 from a current demand of about 2,200, a cabinet minister has revealed.
Minister of Agriculture Anxious Masuka disclosed this while giving an update to Parliament on the proposed floating photovoltaic Power Plant on Lake Kariba.
Project details at a glance: Power Imports: 0-500MW daily, costly.
🔵Electricity Demand Forecast: Over 5,000MW by 2030.
🔵Unsolicited Bid (Dec 2023): US$600-$850 million for 800MW floating solar plant.
🔵Project Location: Lake Kariba, Mashonaland West.
🔵Grid Impact Assessment: Approved 600MW plant for grid stability.
🔵Phased Development:
– Phase 1: 150MW (commissioned in 2025)- Phase 2: 300MW (2026)- Phase 3: 150MW (2027).
🔵Lease and Survey: 25-year lease signed, land survey completed in Feb 2024
🔵Power Generation Licence: In process.
🔵Efficiency: Water-mounted solar cells are 5-15% more efficient than land-based systems.
