The Masvingo Rural District Council has approved a US$13-million mini-hydro power project at Lake Mutirikwi in Zimbabwe. The application was made by the Great Zimbabwe Hydro-Power Company, which is jointly owned by a Zimbabwean company, ZOL and its South African partner, New Planet.

The company has asked for five hectares of land for the 5 megawatt (MW) hydropower plant, which should be in operation by early 2014.

The plant is one of two currently being developed by Zimbabwe. Another 5-MW facility at Tokwe-Murkosi is planned for completion in 2013.

The mini-hydro power plant is expected to produce five megawatts of electricity that will be fed into the national grid upon completion of the project in March 2014.

Source: Esi.com