Zimbabwe’s Energy and Power Development Minister, July Moyo, has urged coal mining companies in Hwange to build power plants to use their large thermal coal stockpiles.
Thermal coal is collected during the process of mining for coking coal, which is found deeper underground.
Extracting coking coal involves removing an upper layer of earth, followed by a thick layer of thermal coal, which makes up about 70% of the total deposits.
Minister Moyo is worried that these large piles of thermal coal could become a fire hazard. He suggested that the companies use this coal to produce electricity and reduce the risk.
Addressing delegates at the National Competitiveness Commission summit in Bulawayo last week, Minister Moyo said “(The companies) have piled a number of tonnes and tonnes of thermal coal. And we are now, as Government, urging them to say, you already have thermal coal, and it will become a hazard.”
“It will start causing fires. Why don’t you turn it and bring plants so that you can produce power. Because you already have sunk your money in the production of this coal, which was at the top.”
“And what we are calling upon them is (to say), why don’t you go the last step and produce thermal power from your coal?”
Minister Moyo also encouraged companies and households to generate their own electricity to ease the pressure on the national grid, as Zimbabwe is currently facing electricity shortages.
