THE US$14 million Great Zimbabwe Hydropower project at the country’s second
largest inland dam will reduce the country’s energy imports bill and even turn
Zimbabwe into a net exporter in the region.
The project at Mutirikwi Dam is being undertaken by Frontier Energy of Denmark,
Old Mutual Life Assurance Company, Public Services Pension Fund, ZB Holdings
Pension Fund and Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) Power.
It is 60 percent complete and will transform Lake Mutirikwi from just being an
irrigation, fishing, tourist water body to an electricity producer.
Last week the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring
Implementation of Government Programmes, Dr Jorum Gumbo, said after
completion, the project will augment power from Kariba and Hwange.
“The implementation of the mini-hydro power station project resonates with the
National Development Strategy 1, which identifies the availability of reliable power
supply as a basic requirement for all citizens. Under the National Development
Strategy 1 period, the Government is therefore placing priority on the development of
reliable and reasonably priced power,” he said.
“I have observed commendable progress has been made in the implementation of
the project which is estimated to be 60 percent complete. The successful completion
of the project will significantly augment power from Kariba and Hwange hence
reduce the power supply deficit that the country has experienced in the recent
months. It will also reduce the country’s energy import bill with the ultimate goal of
becoming a net exporter of power into the region.”
He said the project is evidence that the Government is committed to providing
energy to the people in line of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7,
which enjoins member states to aspire to ensure affordable, reliable and sustainable
energy.
“The challenges to the smooth implementation of the project has been brought to my
attention, including the renewal of National Project Status, access to bankable land
rights, high NSSA costs and registration of shareholder loans for foreign investors.
My office will be engaging the relevant authorities to ensure these challenges do not
affect implementation of the project.”
Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira,
said a contractor for the 15 megawatts mini-hydro power plant at Tugwi Mukosi is
now awaiting authorisation.

“A number of mini-hydro-power projects will come on stream in the near future.
Using this same water from Mutirikwi Dam, we can produce a maximum of 15
megawatts at different points. The advance in mini-hydro power generation
technology will help grow our economy and create a steady stream of well-paying
jobs,” he said.
“The mini-hydro power plants will help us to reduce the dangerous emissions that
contribute to climate change. Very soon construction works on the 15Mw Tugwi
Mukosi mini hydro power project is commencing. The contractor has been procured
and is awaiting authorisation from ZINWA.”
Lake Mutirikwi, built in 1960 is originally known as Lake Kyle or Kyle Dam and lies in
south eastern Zimbabwe, south east of Masvingo.
Its original name is thought to have been after Kyle Farm, which occupied most of
the land required for the lake, which in turn was named after the Kyle district in
Scotland from which the pioneer of the Lowveld, Tom Murray MacDougall originally
came from.
At independence in 1980 the lake covering about 90 km² was renamed Mutirikwi
after the river on which it was built.
The dam was built by Concor to provide water to the sugar farming estates on the
Lowveld, to the southwest, around the town of Triangle.
Lake Mutirikwi also provides access to a recreational park on the reservoir's northern
shore and another on the southern shore close to the internationally acclaimed Great
Zimbabwe national monument from which the country is named after.
Before the construction of the giant Tokwe Mukosi Lake Mutirikwi was the largest
inland Dam in Zimbabwe.