Manufacturing companies, in particular, were the most affected by the power cuts in Zimbabwe, Chamber of Chinese Enterprises in Zimbabwe (CCEZ) Vice Chairperson Liu Baixue told Xinhua in an interview.
The CCEZ is a registered business organization comprising 80 Chinese companies operating in Zimbabwe.
“Our members are feeling the impact of power shortages. A lot of Chinese companies are affected, especially the manufacturing companies. They can’t get their production lines running and have to use generators; that is a big cost,” she said.
Zimbabwe is facing acute power shortages due to depressed generation at the country’s biggest hydropower plant owing to low water levels.
Hwange thermal power station, another major power plant in the country, has become prone to frequent breakdowns due to obsolete equipment, while unreliable imports from the region have also worsened the power situation.
The power crisis has resulted in industry and households, at most, getting power for only six hours during the night.
Liu said due to their commitment to investing in Zimbabwe following President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s declaration that Zimbabwe is open for business, the Chinese firms were undertaking various power generation projects in an effort to accelerate Zimbabwe’s industrial growth and improve the living standards of the people.
One such company, Eagle International Investment and Pacific Goal Investment, signed an agreement with the Zimbabwe government in September this year to build a metals park in Mapinga, about 70 km northwest of the capital Harare, which would include two 300-MW power plants.
Liu said the new energy industrial park will augment Zimbabwe’s power supplies and help ease power shortages.
“One of the Chinese companies is initiating a new energy industrial park for processing lithium and other raw materials in Zimbabwe; in that industrial park, they will put power stations to supply not only the park but the surrounding residents because they will be producing more than they can consume,” Liu said.
The proposed battery-metals park in Mapinga area will be equipped to process metals, including platinum, lithium, and nickel, with the two 300-MW power plants providing electricity to the various refineries. The project is slated for completion by the end of 2025.
“We have one goal to make this country a better place and improve the people’s standard of living, but how do we improve that? We are talking about power which is the essential thing,” Liu said.
She said Chinese companies have encountered countless challenges but are remaining steadfast in their commitment to Zimbabwe because the country is going in a better direction and believe that the challenges will come to pass. Enditem
