The President of Zimbabwe, His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa is in Hwange where he is ready to launch the Decca Water Project.
The much anticipated water project is funded by the Indian Government through a soft loan of USD48 million.
The Decca pipeline water project brings water to Hwange 7 and 8 to cool its huge tower.
The 50km pipeline drops water it abstracts from the Zambezi River to communities along the pipeline.
The pipeline which should be done by March 2023 to coincide with the commissioning of new generators 7 and 8, is valued at USD40 million with the remaining USD 8 million being committed to upgrading existing water pipeline.
Hwange 7 is due to be commissioned later this year, with 8 coming in first quarter of 2023.
Hands-on and always on the ground, the President is a strategic leader but also a man of detail. He asked penetrating questions on the project which will benefit energy generation, humans and wildlife in comparable measure.
Hwange has become the energy city of Zimbabwe, sitting as it does on millions of tonnes of coal, itself the prime source of energy.
The few years have seen a real resurgence of Hwange, including several coking coal batteries which will underpin the Steels Plant taking shape at Manhize and Mvuma.
The Indian Ambassador giving his remarks. India has funded this water project which meets the requirements of Hwange Power’s Station’s Cooling Towers. Apart from Decca water project, Indian is also upgrading Bulawayo Thermal Power Plant and old generators at Hwange. All told, India has availed more than USD400m towards Zimbabwe’s infrastructural upgrading programme.
