Hwange power station

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Hwange power station is an operating power station of at least 1255-megawatts (MW) in Hwange, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Hwange power station	Hwange, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe	-18.3835, 26.47 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

• Unit 7, Unit 8: -18.3835, 26.47
• Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6: -18.3831971, 26.4696382

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name	Status	Fuel(s)	Capacity (MW)	Technology	Start year	Retired year
Unit 1	operating	coal - bituminous	120	subcritical	1984	–
Unit 2	operating	coal - bituminous	120	subcritical	1986	–
Unit 3	operating	coal - bituminous	120	subcritical	1985	–
Unit 4	operating	coal - bituminous	120	subcritical	1983	–
Unit 5	operating	coal - bituminous	220	subcritical	1986	–
Unit 6	operating	coal - bituminous	220	subcritical	1987	–
Unit 7	operating	coal - bituminous	335	subcritical	2023	–
Unit 8	construction	coal - bituminous	335	subcritical	2023	–

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name	Owner
Unit 1	Zimbabwe Power Co (ZPC) [100.0%]
Unit 2	Zimbabwe Power Co (ZPC) [100.0%]
Unit 3	Zimbabwe Power Co (ZPC) [100.0%]
Unit 4	Zimbabwe Power Co (ZPC) [100.0%]
Unit 5	Zimbabwe Power Co (ZPC) [100.0%]
Unit 6	Zimbabwe Power Co (ZPC) [100.0%]
Unit 7	Zimbabwe Power Co (ZPC) [100.0%]
Unit 8	Zimbabwe Power Co (ZPC) [100.0%]

Project-level coal details

• Coal source(s): Wankie colliery open cast mine

Background

Hwange power station was built in two stages and consists of 4 units of 120 MW each and 2 units of 220 MW each. Construction of Stage 1 commenced in 1973, but was suspended in 1975 due to economic sanctions imposed on Rhodesia. The 4 x 120MW units were commissioned between 1983 and 1986 and the 2 x 220MW were commissioned in 1986 and 1987. It is owned by the national electricity company Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority, also known as ZESA Holdings, and operated by Zesa's energy unit Zimbabwe Power Company.

Water is sourced from the Zambezi River, and coal from the nearby Wankie colliery open cast mine. About 250,000 tonnes of coal are stockpiled on site.

In 2009, Namibia's NamPower made agreements to help ZESA to revive four units at the aging power station in exchange for power deliveries.

Hwange power station is the largest thermal power station in Zimbabwe.

Rehabilitation of existing facility

In May 2017, Standard Bank Group said that it had finalized a US$120 million debt package with ZPC to rehabilitate existing power generator infrastructure at Kariba South Hydro and Hwange Thermal Power Station. The deal aimed at easing Zimbabwe's long-standing power generation deficiency, which provides around 1,000 MW against average demand of 1,400 MW or more. Currently Zimbabwe imports electricity from Mozambique and South Africa; however, acute cash shortages have led to a US$43 million debt with South Africa's Eskom, which now is threatening to curtail the 300 MW of capacity that it is providing to ZESA if the debt is not cleared by the end of May. Hwange power station was only producing 327 MW out of an installed capacity of 920 MW.

In September 2018, it was reported that the Government of India was set to provide a line of credit of US$310 million to Zimbabwe to enhance the lifecycle of the Hwange thermal plant.

In early 2021, the power station operated an average of two units against a target of five units. Unit 3 was on an extended major overhaul. The reliability of Units 1, 4, and 5 was also affected due to overdue planned outages and a February 10, 2021 fire incident which caused extensive damage to Units 1 and 2. In addition, Unit 6 was unavailable in the end of January due to leaking hydrogen coolers.

After being out of service, unit 5 was returned in service in September 2021, improving the station's consistently low output by 150 MW.

In November 2021, a loan facility was being negotiated with India to fix the power station, as an estimated US$300 million was needed to continue work on the old Hwange units.

In November 2022, the Zimbabwe Power Company stated that they expected to begin the refurbishment project, funded by the Export-Import Bank of India, in the third quarter of 2023. The rehabilitation would be conducted in three phases and would give the power station an updated capacity of 880 MW across the six existing units.

In October 2023, ZESA announced that "technical faults" at the power station had reduced power generation and contributed to increased load shedding.

According to reporting from November 2023, rehabilitation of Units 1-6 was ongoing.

Phase III expansion (Units 7-8)

A project aimed at adding two generation units to Hwange Power Station, known as Phase III, was to be launched in 2000 but stalled due to lack of funds.

The project was later revived. Zimbabwe Power Company, the power generation unit of State-owned power utility Zesa Holdings, plans to expand the power station by 600 MW. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been approved. Plans again stalled after the Chinese contractor who won the right to undertake the project, China Machinery Engineering Company, failed to secure funding within eight months. Expansion requires US$1.3 billion to $2 billion. Zesa is seeking other bidders to construct the plant.

In September 2014, Zimbabwe Power Company announced it had finalized negotiations with Chinese contractor Sino Hydro Corporation for the expansion of Hwange Power Station. (Sino Hydro is also doing feasibility studies for the proposed 600 MW Hwange Makomo power station sponsored by Makomo Resources.) The expansion was granted a generation license in January 2015.

Construction was planned to start in 2016, with a planned start date of 2019.

In August 2016, it was reported that financing was planned for completion by end of 2016.

In July 2017, PowerChina signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Zimbabwe for expanding the power station. In November 2017, China’s state-owned Dongfang Electric Corp signed a contract with ChinaPower to supply three major engines for two 335 MW coal-fired power units at the plant.

The groundbreaking ceremony of the project was expected to be held in mid-June 2018, following the release of China Export–Import Bank funds for the project.

In July 2018, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the expansion. It was planned for commissioning in 2022. In December 2018, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) said it intended to recruit more than 100 workers on a fixed term contract of up to 36 months for the project.

In March 2019, it was reported that construction work on the project had begun. In August 2019, the expansion of the power station was 18% complete, with commissioning on track for January 2022.

In November 2019, it was reported that Chinese banks had indefinitely suspended US$1.1 billion in financial support for the expansion, citing financial irregularities on the part of the Zimbabwe Government. According to the Zimbabwe Independent, "Chinese investors and financial institutions, including China Eximbank, are also worried about currency and exchange rate volatility which have affected projects they are bankrolling in Zimbabwe." The project was described as 22% complete.

Despite the financing issues, in April 2020, it was reported that work on the expansion was almost 40% complete and on schedule. In June 2021, the work was 62.54% complete instead of the planned 85.9%. The project was affected by Interim Payment Certificate (IPC) outstanding payments as well as the effects of Covid-19.

In August 2021, the work was 68% complete. In December 2021, the work was 76% complete and on track for completion in 2022. In April 2022, the work was 84% complete. Units 7 and 8 were set to be completed in November 2022 and February 2023 respectively.

In November 2022, the Zimbabwe Power Company expected one of the two expansion units to be online by the end of the year. The project's contractor stated that testing of the turbine had begun. The other unit, Unit 8, was slated for commissioning sometime in 2023.

In January 2023, Unit 7 was expected to be commissioned by the end of the month.

In March 2023, Unit 7 was commissioned at a limited capacity, and it was expected to be fully operational in June 2023. In April 2023, the unit was reportedly running successfully.

In May 2023, it was reported that the expansion project for Units 7 and 8 was 98.94% complete. Unit 7 was undergoing final tests and commercial operation was expected to begin on June 29, 2023. Unit 8 had been synchronized with the grid on May 11, but was taken offline for adjustments. Unit 8 was expected to be back online by the end of May 2023, and begin commercial operation on September 28, 2023.

In October 2023, ZESA announced that Unit 7 was going to be offline for 30 days for scheduled maintenance. The country had already been experiencing increased load shedding partially due to "technical faults" at Hwange power station.

According to reporting from November 2023, Unit 8 would "soon" be supplying electricity to the national grid.

Financing for Units 7-8

In May 2015, Zimbabwe officials said they expected to achieve financial closure for the Hwange expansion project by the end of the year. The total cost for the project was estimated at US$1.4 billion. The China Export Import Bank (Eximbank) was expected to bankroll the project at nearly US$1.2 billion, while the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) would fund the remaining $0.2 billion.

In December 2015, China agreed to provide a US$1.2 billion loan to add 600 MW of generating capacity to the Hwange station. In addition, that month, it was reported that China would help rehabilitate the plant in addition to expanding it.

In December 2016, the Zimbabwean government approved a US$1 billion loan facility from China Exim Bank. The loan would be paid back over 20 years with a grace period of seven years and an interest rate of 2% per annum. The contract for the expansion was awarded to Sino-Hydro Corporation Ltd. The special purpose vehicle created for overseeing project development was named the Hwange Electricity Supply Company (HESCo), owned by ZPC and Sino-Hydro. In January 2017, ZPC managing director Noah Gwariro said that the company "expects financial closure for the Hwange expansion project by the end of March 2017."

In January 2018, Zimbabwe Power Company said it had raised its equity contribution to the project from Standard Bank South Africa (US$40 million) and Afreximbank (US$76 million). Sinohydro said China Eximbank should now be ready to disperse funds from a US$998 million loan for the plant.

In June 2018, Zimbabwe concluded the loan agreement for US$998 million with the Export-Import Bank of China. The Bank provided this amount to the government of Zimbabwe, and the government on-lent to the project, according to IJ Global. Standard Bank contributed USD 40 million and acted as lead arranger, bringing in The Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (PTA Bank) on a USD120 million total debt package. It therefore appears that Afreximbank did not participate in the final transaction. USD 120 million debt package was provided to Zimbabwe Power Company for both the Hwange expansion project and the Kariba South hydro power plant expansion scheme.

Transmission line

In December 2021, the government commenced construction of a 360 km electricity transmission project linking the power station to Bulawayo. In April 2022, it was reported that 810 of the 875 transmission towers had been placed.

In May 2023, it was reported that the transmission line project was 84.11% complete. The ZPC was reportedly still constructing homes as part of a compensatory housing project for community members impacted by the Hwange expansion project.

Environmental impact

According to a March 2024 report on air pollution in Africa by Greenpeace, Hwange power station was among the top ten sulfur dioxide (SO2) pollution hotspots in Africa in 2022. The report noted that government data on emissions in Africa is patchy, so the authors relied on satellite measurements.

Articles and Resources

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.