Recently, Triangle Solar System (TSS), a local consortium in Zimbabwe, said that it will build a 90MW photovoltaic power plant in Chiredzi Town, Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe.

It is reported that the project has been approved by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera). The project is expected to cost about US$88.1 million, or about 31.9 billion Zimbabwean dollars.

The Chiredzi photovoltaic power plant will be deployed in two stages, each with installed capacity of 45MW. Paradzai Chakona, head of TSS, said that based on the global annual radiation of 1,760 Kw/h per square meter, a 45MW photovoltaic system should generate approximately 73,896MW of electricity each year, of which 66,500MW will be sold to the national grid.

The project will greatly reduce Zimbabwe’s electricity imports.

Due to insufficient production, the country is currently facing a growing power shortage. Zimbabwe mainly imports large amounts of electricity from neighboring countries, including Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia.

In addition, the Chiredzi electrification project will create more than 300 jobs.

TSS plans to complete the project within 6 months from the start of the project.

Paradzai Chakona said the project is scheduled to start construction in September or October 2020. If all goes well, the project will be completed in the first half of 2021.

After the project is completed, TSS also plans to build more photovoltaic power plants in Zimbabwe to solve the power shortage problem.