In Zimbabwe, Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) has chosen a company to build and operate a 32 MWp photovoltaic solar power plant in Colleen Bawn, in the Matabeleland South Province. Half of the electricity produced will be used to power PPC's facilities and the other half will be fed into Zimbabwe's national electricity grid.
PPC will generate electricity for its facilities and the Zimbabwean power grid. It is the aim of a solar project of the sub-regional cement manufacturer Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) which will soon enter its construction phase. For the time being, the company based in Johannesburg, South Africa, is working on the financial mobilisation for the construction of the 32 MWp solar power plant near the town of Colleen Bawn, in the Matabeleland South Province.
Following a call for tenders which saw the participation of 38 local, regional and European companies, PPC chose a company whose name was not disclosed. But Marvellous Sibanda, the chief operating officer of the cement company, says the solar energy supplier is based in Zimbabwe with technical partners in South Africa. No details were provided on the cost of the 32 MWp solar photovoltaic project.
Construction of the plant will take 18 months. PPC is expected to draw 16 MWp of electricity from the future facility for the operation of its clinker plant (the main component of cement, editor’s note) in Colleen Bawn. The remaining 16 MWp will be injected into Zimbabwe’s national electricity grid.
Pretoria Portland Cement is thus one of the companies that have decided to turn to solar energy for their electricity supply in Zimbabwe. A few months ago, Caledonia Mining Corporation, which operates the Blanket gold mine in Matabeleland South Province, issued a call for tenders for a 19.65 MWp solar project. The future 6.55-MWp phased-in installation will supply power at its Blanket gold mine.
Jean Marie Takouleu
