Karo power station
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Karo power station is a cancelled power station in Mhondoro-Ngezi, Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Karo power station | Mhondoro-Ngezi, Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe | -18.567331, 30.669687 (approximate) |
The map below shows the approximate location of the power station.
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | cancelled | coal - unknown | 600 | unknown | – | – |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner |
|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Karo Mining, Government of Zimbabwe |
Background
In March 2018, Cyprus-based Karo Resources signed a US$4.2-billion deal to develop a platinum mine and refinery in the Mhondoro-Ngezi platinum belt of Zimbabwe, west of Harare. The project was going to include a coal mine and 600 MW coal-fired power station to produce electricity for the smelter. The first phase of production was expected to commence in 2020 with an annual output of 3.6 million tonnes of ore and 350,000 ounces of platinum metals. The project was first proposed in 2012.[1]
In July 2018, Karo Mining announced plans to build a 300 MW solar project for its platinum mining operations instead of its original plans for a 600 MW coal-fired power plant after discussions with the Zimbabwean government.[2] In addition, the future of the entire venture was uncertain.[3]
In March 2022, South African company Tharisa Capital acquired controlling interest of Karo Mining Holdings.[4]
The company stated that they would invest over US $250 million to reinvigorate the project over 24 months after taking full control of the mine. The first phase of the project, an open pit platinum mine, would have the capacity to produce 150,000 ounces per year for 20 years.[5]
As of April 2022, Tharisa's CEO confirmed that an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment was completed for the project, which also included "chrome mining, a coal mine, a power plant, smelter and refinery for beneficiation of PGMs (platinum group metals)".[6] There was remaining uncertainty regarding whether the associated power plant would in fact be coal-fired under the new ownership.
Based on October 2022 reporting, the platinum mine was slated for its first delivery in July 2024. Rather than a coal plant, the project would be served by a 300 MW solar plant.[7] The coal project was therefore presumed cancelled.
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "Zimbabwe signs $4.2bn platinum deal to transform mining sector," Mining Weekly, March 22, 2018
- ↑ Tom Kenning, "Zimbabwe mining firm chooses solar over giant coal plans," PV Tech, July 25, 2018
- ↑ "Karo’s US$4bn venture crumbles," Zimbabwe Independent, November 20, 2020
- ↑ "Tharisa Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements: 31 March 2022," Tharisa, March 31, 2022
- ↑ "Zimbabwe: Tharisa to Invest U.S.$250 Million in Zim," All Africa, April 4, 2022
- ↑ "Tharisa injects more than US$50,5m in Karo," The Sunday Mail, April 10, 2022
- ↑ "Karo platinum project taking off in Zimbabwe with solar power tailwind," Mining Weekly, October 14, 2022
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.
