Project Background
The Sable Solar Energy (SSE) project is a 50 MW solar PV project currently being developed by Tatanga Energy through a special purpose company – Sable Solar Energy (Private) Limited.
The project is being developed on land close to Sable Chemical Industries facility at Sherwood, approximately 20 km outside of the city of Kwekwe in the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe. The project has been designed as a grid-connected independent power project (IPP) and has secured a power generation license from the Zimbabwe Electricity Regulatory Authority (ZERA).
The plant will improve Zimbabwe’s electricity supply and, critically, lay the foundation for the development of a 400 MW solar park in the same area. The project is expected to come online in 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
The project is envisaged to create up to 500 temporary jobs during the construction period and up to 30 permanent jobs during the operational phase.
The project is being developed on a traditional non-recourse finance basis, with equity provided by SSE’s shareholders, and debt to be provided by commercial banks and development finance institutions. SSE is currently exploring potential financing options with several local and international investors and financing institutions with the aim of securing the most cost-effective financing terms.
In line with good international industry practice and statutory requirements for environmental protection in Zimbabwe, SSE will procure a full Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the project. An initial ESIA Prospectus, highlighting the project’s expected environmental and social impacts, was prepared in conjunction with the generation license application. These impacts will be fully dimensioned in the full ESIA study. The full ESIA study will comply with all relevant international and local environmental requirements, including:
- IFC Performance Standards
- The Equator Principles
- World Bank Environmental Health and Safety Guidelines
- All relevant Zimbabwean Acts and Regulations
The project will be the largest grid-connected solar PV plant in Zimbabwe when completed. The project will not only help to reduce Zimbabwe’s existing power supply deficit, but will also reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emmissions. The project will also serve as a proof of concept for the planned 400 MW solar park, which Tatanga Energy, Sable Chemicals and Masawara intend to develop adjacent to the project in the future. The solar park may offer the opportunity to install new and alternative generation/storage options, including battery storage, as well as the latest solar technologies. These projects will firmly establish the viability of solar energy in Zimbabwe and will contribute to the move towards the development of more efficient, cleaner and lower-cost renewable energy generation, as seen in neighboring markets of South Africa and Zambia.