SOME investors from United States of America (USA) and United Kingdom (UK) have expressed interest to set up two separate solar generated power plants in Livingstone with capacity to produce 1, 000 Megawatts (MW).
The investors, who approached National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) over the matter, wants to set up solar power stations in Senior Chief Mukuni’s chiefdom and Kasiya Ward respectively.
NHCC senior conservation officer Richard Mbewe said the investors from United States were working with their partners in Lusaka to set up a 700 MW solar power plant in Kasiya Ward in Zambia’s Tourist Capital.
Mr Mbewe, who declined to name the investors, said in interview yesterday that the Kasiya plant would be located within Farm number 463.
He made the revelation after he attended a stakeholders meeting held at Livingstone Civic Centre together with University of Zambia (UNZA) students pursuing a Masters Programmes in Spatial Planning.
Mr Mbewe said the promoters of the project would soon have community sensitisation meetings with local people as technocrats had already done their assessment.
“We have been visited by group of people from Lusaka over this solar project but the proponents of this project are from United States.
“They run the largest solar power plant in Africa and they already have one in South Africa in Limpopo. They want to produce 700 MW of solar power which is reliable as we have higher sun exposure here in Livingstone,” Mr Mbewe said.
He said the plant would be put on an already cleared land where housing units for the company would be built too.
“We are very excited as NHCC as such projects will mitigate the impact of ZESCO diverting water for power generation from Zambezi River.
“The investors have visited our office because we are key stakeholders in the issues surrounding Victoria Falls and land clearing. Anyone who is going to clear land and construct a major structure is likely to alter or destroy national heritage and so we must be consulted on such matters,” Mr Mbewe said.
He also said investors from UK wanted to set up a solar power plant of 300 MW in Senior Chief Mukuni in an open area to allow more sunlight to be captured.
“For this project, it has reached an advanced stage as the area has already been identified and cleared.
“As NHCC, we have no objection as the project will also reduce the impact of ZESCO in diverting water from the Zambezi River,” he said.
Mr Mbewe said the good aspect of the solar projects was that they would be implemented within a timeframe of one year and ultimately channel more power to the national power grip to mitigate the power deficit.
“Hydropower stations are costly and they take a lot of time. Solar power stations are simply prefabs and they are already manufactured and installed on an already prepared area and put connecting panels.
“Once approved, the projects will be installed between six to eight months after which they will be tested and commissioned,” he said.
Free for all? What is the role of NHCC? they sound so excited that they could give up our heritage sites in ignorance. Leave this to experts imwe.
Your “experts” will slow down the process, ask for kickbacks and just kill the project when bribes are not forthcoming. I don’t understand the implied delay before these projects can be implemented. Is PF asking for bribes before permits are given?
IN ANOTHER PERSON’S LAND AGAIN. I WOULD RATHER THESE CROOKS ARE TELLING US AFTER THE PROJECT HAS STARTED. JUST SOMEONE EXPRESSING INTEREST DOESN’T MEAN HE/SHE WILL CARRY OUT THE PROJECT. WE DON’T UNDERSTAND ENGLISH, DO WE? PEOPLE WANT JOBS, NOT HOPES. THEY HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR HOPES FOR LONG A TIME.
This is the sort of “Nationalist chief” in Mwinelubemba ‘s predicament blog – Chief Mukuni has his slant-side but he goes ahead and does things for his People and Country – thumbs-up !!
Now this is what we want
Chief Mukuni has opened up his chiefdom for investment with an open minded approach while other regions and chiefs delay progress through rigid procedures and archaic customary land acquisition requirements.
When I tell you that 1000MW is doable from solar power people think its a joke…come rain or drought solar power is the best option for us I do not know why we carry wasting billions of dollars on energy dependent on rainfall….this company must be Google it has invested in the biggest solar plant in RSA.
HAHAHAHA Jay Jay
This is supposed to be secret though so many clues were given.
Solar is the future of the African dream.
I was wondering if the capacities (figures) are correct in the article above
The 392 MW Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, located in California’s Mojave Desert, is the world’s largest solar thermal power plant project currently in operation.
The Topaz Solar Farm (550 MW) and Solar Star(579 MW) both in California are one of the largest in the world and there is also the Indian Charanka Solar Park which pumps out 600MW and is a combination of smaller solar farms in Gurjat.
Another limo for the bungie jumping chief.
Why not do this under ZDC and ZESCO?
How can you do this under ZDC when they didn’t envisage anything like that..there is a reason why Livingstone is chosen its closer to Zimbabwe, RSA potential customers for export…ZESCO is run by a bunch of short sighted cadres who know nothing about clean energy; they will be such with expensive dry empty dams in 10 years time.
living stone is also closer to those countries as they have higher tariffs for electricity as a investor ill make more from exporting electrify to SA,Zim than zambia with its low energy tarriffs
Do these investors have a company name????