via China Africa gets EMA green light to start $2.1 bln project | The Source
China Africa Sunlight Energy has been cleared by the Environmental Management Agency to start work on Zimbabwe’s largest coal mining project at its Gwayi concessions in Matabeleland North, officials said on Monday.
The environmental impact assessment certificate allows the company to start work on its $2.1 billion project which would eventually include a 2,200 megawatt thermal power station, a gas extraction plant and a coal brick factory among others.
EMA director of Environmental Management Services, Aaron Chigona said the certificate had conditions the company must meet.
“They made an appeal to the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate then we considered giving them this type of certificate and it needs to be validated because in terms of the environmental law if you give a certificate you have to see if the project can be done. We gave 15 conditions they have to meet,” Chigona told The Source.
Environmental Guardians Services, the company that was contracted to do the assessment said EMA granted the certificate on 20 December last year.
The company’s consultant Michael Montana said China Africa should strictly adhere to the Environmental Management Plan and address issues raised in the certificate, chief among them the need to combat acid mine drainage.
The project has been facing resistance from tourism companies who felt its location near the Hwange National Park would affect wildlife.
The coal mine is expected to produce 300 million metric tonnes of thermal coal per annum. A coking coal plant and a coal washing plant would also be set up to add value and to generate additional income.
China Africa Sunlight Energy is a 50/50 joint venture between Zimbabwe’s Old Stone Investments and Shandong Taishan Sunlight of China.
COMMENTS
Am glad if this project will surely produce 2200mega watts.it means electricity shortages becoming a thing of the past.
I see Zimbabwe becoming a prosperous nation again in the near future.It will become the envy of Africa.
Let’s pray for our country
Tb Emmanuel
Yes Sir!!!
The projection of 300million tonnes a year are not feasible. thats translate to almost a million tonnes a day which is not achievable by any standard. Can we have proper and researched figures.
As long as it employs All Zimbabweans and not just ma “comrades”
There fellow company failed to find funding to upgrade Hwange Power Station after wining the tender and we continue giving these mongoloids more contract so that they can chase us with whips. Nxa!