The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) says it has started work on the Deka pipeline upgrade to enhance water supply to Hwange Thermal Power station.

Late last year the Export and Import Bank of India released $28.6 million to ZPC to finance the project, the New Ziana reported

The Deka pipeline draws water from the Zambezi River for use in power generation at the Hwange Thermal Power Station.

ZPC managing director Noah Gwariro said work was in progress.

“We have started local works on the project and they are currently in progress.

“Once this has been completed, we will work on establishing the main Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor for the project,” he said in an emailed response to questions.

“The project will be completed within 18 months from the time of commencement.”

The upgrading of the Deka pipeline is meant to improve capacity of the Deka pumping station and rehabilitating the river intake system to increase raw water supply to Hwange power station.

The project would also increase water supplies to the Zimbabwe National Water Authority water treatment plant, said Gwariro.

Hwange Power Station currently requires about 3 500m³ of raw water per hour for electricity generation and this is expected to increase to about 6 000m³ per hour when expansion work at the station is completed.

“Rehabilitating the Deka pipeline will also ensure that the station has adequate water supply to feed the Hwange 7 and 8 expansion units,” he said.

The country’s largest thermal power station is set to be expanded by an additional two units which would have a combined generating capacity of 600 megawatts.

Chinese firm Sino Hydro will undertake the expansion project at a total cost of about $1.5 billion.

Hwange power plant accounts for about 40 percent of the country’s power output.

New Ziana