HARARE The Harare City Council (HCC) is in talks with the Ministry of Energy and Power Development to regain control of the Harare Thermal Power Station ceded to the power utility ZESA Holdings in 1986, Harare Mayor Muchadeyi MasundaThe station has been largely idle over the past few years due to coal shortages and maintenance problems. HCC is aiming to take over and revamp the station in order to reduce its electricity costs and ease power outages at the citys critical units like hospitals and water purification plants.
We run a number of hospitals and we have four million people that we supply with water. Power cuts are affecting us so we would rather be in control of our energy supplies so that we can prioritize the critical areas, said Masunda.
Most of the equipment at the station is now outdated, resulting in serious power outages across Harare. The plant has a capacity to produce100 megawatts, but is currently operating at around 45 per cent.
HCC is also planning to boost its power supplies by harnessing bio-gas energy and already has bio-gas plants at Crowborough and Firle Sewer Works. Biogas is a product of fermentation of organic material such as manure or sewage sludge.
Firle has a capacity to produce 32 000 cubic metres of biogas an hour and, according to experts, biogas can be used as a substitute for coal in thermal power stations.
Meanwhile, Masunda has indicated ratepayers owe the cash-strapped HCC US$140 million in unpaid bills and rates dating back to January 2009. He said the government and other companies constituted 80 per cent of the debt, while residents make up the remaining 20 per cent.
Masunda said the debt was part of the reason the council continued to face financial problems.
Post published in: News