Hwange Expansion Project
Overview
In August 2018, ZPC officially embarked on an expansion project at Hwange Power Station, marking the addition of a third stage to the facility. The two new 300MW units were officially commissioned on the 3rd of August 2023 by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde. Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, after successfully securing a USD 998 million loan from China Exim Bank.
The project represents a major milestone for Zimbabwe, as it fulfills one of the promises made by His Excellency, the President, to improve the power supply situation in the country, in line with the key aspirations of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
The scope of the project included the installation of two electricity-generating units, each with a net output of 300MW, as well as the construction of two new 400kV substations (330kV Sherwood B and 400/330kV Hwange B Substation). Additionally, the project involved the construction of a 400kV, 310-kilometer transmission line from Hwange to Insukamini in Bulawayo and another 40-kilometer transmission line from Insukamini to Marvel in Bulawayo for the evacuation of power. This expansion effectively increases the installed generation capacity of the Hwange Thermal Power Station complex (Units 1-8) to 1,520MW.
INTERESTING TECHNICAL STATISTICS ABOUT THE PROJECT:
A cooling tower, standing at a height of 150 meters and with a base diameter of 120 meters, was constructed as part of the project. The design of the cooling tower incorporates advanced technologies to improve cooling efficiency, ensuring optimal performance of the plant and reducing environmental impact.
The new power station utilises flue gas cleaning technology, which utilises limestone. This has opened up opportunities for limestone suppliers to supply the product for plant operation.
The new plant also utilises a stacker reclaimer for stacking and reclaiming of coal, hence, improving the operational efficiency of coal handling from the mines and delivery to the boilers.
The Hwange Expansion Project also entails the construction of extensive transmission infrastructure to enable the efficient delivery of power to various parts of the country. These transmission lines are designed to enhance the capacity and reliability of the national grid, ensuring that the power generated at Hwange can be efficiently distributed across Zimbabwe.
