LEADING waste management firm, Geo Pomona Waste Management, has been granted a license to produce electricity after it successfully met all the requirements.In a statement the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) Chief Executive Officer Mr Eddington Mazambani said the licence number is GC0156/2023 issued in terms of Section 4(1)(e) of the Energy Regulatory Authority Act [Chapter 13:23) as read with Section 42 of the Electricity Act [Chapter 13:19).
“The Generation Licence is hereby granted to Geo Pomona Waste Management (Private) Limited (hereinafter referred to as the Licensee) in terms of Section 42 of the Electricity Act (Chapter 13:19) to construct, own, operate and maintain the 22 MW Geo Pomona Waste to Energy Power Plant at Pomona Dumpsite in Harare Province.
“Subject to the Electricity Act and the terms and conditions of this Licence, the Licensee may supply electricity to any transmission, distribution or supply Licensee who purchases electricity for resale and, with the approval of the Authority, to any one or more consumers,” he said.
Geo Pomona Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman Mr Dilesh Nguwaya said it is a happy coincidence that the licence comes immediately after Geo-Pomoma Waste Management Private Limited’s participation at the COP 28 Summit held in Dubai early this month.
“Going forward, this means we are going to expedite our task of waste conversion to energy. We are happy about this licence as it gives us a pioneering role as a waste-powered private electricity generation entity. Generated electricity will feed into the national grid and therefore reducing electricity challenges,” he said.
Geo Pomona Waste Management signed an agreement with City of Harare to have full rights, dominion and control over the dumpsite for a period of 30 years from April 28, 2022.
Among other objectives the company is aiming to transform the waste management site into a modern recycling plant which will generate up to 22 megawatts of electricity from methane generated from rotting waste.
The new dumpsite which is still under construction will also boast of recreational facilities such as basketball courts, tennis courts, parking lots, a soccer field and a restaurant.
The former dumpsite used to be a thorn in the flesh characterized with perennial fires every year, flooding, air pollution leading to public health issues such as respiratory ailments, diarrhoea and dengue fever.
All that is now a thing of the past after Geo Pomona Waste Management took over breaking away from the traditional ways of disposing garbage connecting with the Government’s objective of establishing smart cities across the country. The Herald
