GWERU-BASED chrome smelting company, Jin Yi Enterprises is set to establish a 300MW solar and thermal duel power station to generate power for its operations and channel excess electricity to the national grid.
Speaking during a tour of the company’s chrome manufacturing plant last week on Friday, Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Owen Ncube said renewable energy sources were key to modern industrialisation.
“We are aware of your (Jin Yi) future investment plans for a solar farm and coal-fired thermal power projects with combined capacity of 300 megawatts at initial stage,” Ncube said.
“The promotion of renewable energy sources through the use of new and efficient technologies is core to the attainment of an upper-middle-income economy status.
“As Midlands province, we appreciate Jin Yi Enterprises (Private) Limited’s contribution to the ferrochrome value chain in general and the growth of our provincial gross domestic product (GDP) in particular as we pursue an upper-middle-income economy status earlier than 2030.”
Jin Yi spokesperson Melody Frank said power outages and high electricity tariffs were negatively affecting production at the company.
“We approached Zesa for us to operate at a lower tariff but still power outages and high electricity charges affect our operations,” she said.
Jin Yi is the country’s third largest ferrochrome smelting company with a total capacity of 80 000 tonnes per annum and currently operates at 76% capacity from its five electric furnaces.
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