CASE to construct $250 million coal-fired plant in Zimbabwe

• 10 years ago (2014-01-17)
• Junior Isles

Africa 303 Asia 849

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China-Africa Sunlight Energy (CASE) will invest $250 million in the construction of a 600 MW coal-fired plant in Gwayi, Zimbabwe, a company official has confirmed.

CASE is a joint venture between Zimbabwe’s Old Stone Investments and Chinese conglomerate, Shandong Taishan Sunlight, and the new plant will initially have a capacity of 300 MW before later rising to 600 MW.

CASE general manager Charles Mugari revealed that the large amount of capital earmarked for the plant was based on producing a facility that would match the capacity of their coal mine.

"We have projected all our projects to start in June this year and appropriate funding has already been mobilised,” Mr Mugari said. "…the plant is going to be a state-of-the-art structure that will reduce all the environmental problems associated with thermal power generation.”

Mr Mugari stated that the company plans to invest as much as $2.1 billion in developing coal mines and constructing power generation plants to help ease Zimbabwe’s electricity shortage. Around 4500 new jobs will likely be created over four years.

The Environmental Management Agency has given CASE approval to carry out an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for setting up the power plant.