Minister Chombo tours Nyabira Solar Park

Walter Nyamukondiwa
Mashonaland West Bureau Chief

Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Marian Chombo has toured the 25MW Centragrid Solar Power Station in Nyabira amid calls for increased investment in green energy.

The solar power station, sitting on 40 hectares, generates a maximum of 25 MW, depending on the weather.

Minister Chombo hailed local investors, including the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), Nyaradzo, and Old Mutual, among others, for heeding President Mnangagwa’s call for locals to take a leading role in the development of the country.

“I am happy with what I am seeing here and the power of local collaboration in fostering development is in line with the President’s mantra nyika inovakwa nevene vayo,” she said.

“Mashonaland West is a power-producing province and we have set the conditions for investors to come and invest in the energy sector. We need to produce more power to meet our energy needs.”

Centragrid plant manager, Engineer Tariro Muka said the panels use a sun tracking system that ensures maximum generation and feeds into the national grid through the 88KVa Norton to Mazowe powerline.

“We realise that almost every day by 8 am we are already peaking our generation and it stays like that for almost the whole day and then around five it starts to decline,” she said.

“Considering issues of global warming and climate change, it is important for us to go green. That will be a significant step in reducing global warming.”