By Archford Chirimudombo
Harare, (New Ziana) – Development of the 50MW Willsgrove Solar project in Umguza District, Matabeleland North, is progressing steadily, with developer, Soleos Energy reaffirming its commitment to delivering reliable and renewable electricity in Zimbabwe.
The project, being implemented through a special purpose vehicle established by local developer Softest Touch Technologies (STT) in partnership with Indian firm Soleos Energy, has secured Government approval for most of its key development stages.
Soleos Energy director, Bravhishya Soleos said the company decided to invest in Zimbabwe after assessing the country’s solar resources, electricity demand, regulatory environment and opportunities for local participation and economic development.
“Zimbabwe has a strong solar resource, and its electricity supply has relied significantly on hydropower, which is affected by rainfall variability. Clean energy is where economics, security and sustainability meet. Solar power is today among the lowest-cost sources of new electricity anywhere in the world; it can be deployed faster than conventional plants, and it shields countries from fuel price volatility and import dependence. Soleos Energy was built on the conviction that energy access drives economic growth: it powers factories, mines, farms, hospitals and schools. Clean energy lets us deliver that growth responsibly, cutting emissions while creating skilled jobs and local supply chains,” he said.
Soleos also commended Zimbabwe’s investment climate under the leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has consistently emphasised the country’s openness to business.
“The government has published Vision 2030, which sets a goal of upper middle-income status by 2030, and has announced measures to encourage private participation in electricity generation, including by independent power producers. As with any project outside our home market, there are factors we take into account, and to the best of our experience and expertise, navigate to create a win-win for all,” Soleos added.
Project director, Francis Gogwe said the project had made significant progress, including completing the boundary fence around the solar farm while a 4km access road to the site was constructed.
He said the team had also secured several key project documents from the relevant authorities, including a lease agreement with Bulawayo City Council, under whose jurisdiction the project site falls, and a Grid Impact Assessment.
“Further to those developments, a feasibility study was completed, we were given our project licence and the investors’ engineer is on site,” Gogwe said.
He said the project was now advancing through several critical processes, including negotiations for a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), Transmission Connection Agreement (TCA) and Government Project Support Agreement (GPSA).
Other outstanding requirements include securing support from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), establishing an escrow arrangement with the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), and achieving financial closure.
Gogwe said the project would contribute to Zimbabwe’s broader development objectives by supporting electricity generation and advancing the country’s transition towards cleaner energy.
“As we know, economic development is driven by electrification, which underpins the transformative growth envisioned under Vision 2030. It is encouraging that the Government has remained fully supportive of Independent Power Producers such as ourselves as Zimbabwe continues making significant strides in its transition towards clean energy,” Gogwe added.
New Ziana
