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Chipendeke Hydro Scheme facing collapse

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STREAM bank cultivation, upstream activities as well as effects of climate change threaten the Chipendeke Micro Hydro Scheme.
Located 64 kilometres south-east of Mutare, in Chipendeke rural community, the scheme significantly transformed the lives of community members.
But the micro-hydro-power project, which harnesses the energy of falling water to produce electrical power, is in danger of crumbling as human activities and the devastating drought have led to a drastic decrease of water levels in the river that powered the scheme.
The scheme, situated along the Chitoro River, produced 25 kilowatts of electricity, serving 50 families, but had the potential to supply energy to 200 families.
It was established as part of a five-year European Union (EU)-funded project, Catalysing Modern Energy Service Delivery to Marginal Communities in Southern Africa.
The project was part of the sustainable-energy-for-all initiative spearheaded by Practical Action, Hivos and Zimbabwe Regional Environment Organisation (ZERO) to ensure the United Nations goal for achieving universal energy access by 2030 is achieved.
A recent tour of the hydro scheme revealed a sorry site; the precious liquid that once flowed freely bringing relief to many has but almost dried up.
A silted river bank and dry rocky river bed now characterise the river.
Stream bank cultivation and other upstream activities have taken their toll on the river and the recurrent drought has worsened the situation.
The micro hydro scheme can no longer provide adequate energy to the community’s business centre, clinic and school.
Lydia Njaigira, the vice-chairperson of the Chipendeke Micro Hydro Scheme, said the dry season had worsened the situation.
“Water scarcity has seen people in this community resorting to fetching water from the river sources, putting pressure on it,” Njaigira said.
“When the scheme was up and running, the women of the community had businesses running, taking advantage of the refrigeration services offered at the business centre.
“We would order fish for re-selling but at the moment we can no longer do so.”
Big Gova (52) said the development that had been enabled by the scheme had significantly improved the livelihood of members of the community.
“The project gave way to a number of significant developments, among them teacher-retention which has seen more female teachers at Chipendeke Primary School, unlike in the past,” said Gova.
“Our schoolchildren had become competitive, performing better than some in the urban areas; our enrolment, especially of girls, had significantly gone up.
“Our pass rate over the years also increased from 34 percent in 2012 to 48 percent in 2015.”
Manicaland, which has always had abundant water, is beginning to feel the effects of climate change.
Shephard Zvigadza from ZERO said it is difficult to get donors who had specifically funded the hydro project to extend more support in other areas.
“The challenge with donor funding is that it comes with specifics,” said Zvigadza.
“When applying for funding, you apply for a certain project and the donor may actually tell you that they do not fund some other specification you may want to add to the project.
“The Chipendeke project is, however, a learning experience in that people can notify the donor of climate change for other alternative sources of energy as a stop-gap measure (sic).
“This is the reason Sustainable Energy Access for All (SEA4ALL) has the element of a renewable energy mix where two or more renewable energy sources are implemented for sustainability of projects.”
With alternative sources of renewable energy such as biogas and solar, these must be factored in when setting up sources that depend on elements like water which can dry up.
Energy sector leader with SNV, Chandi Mutubuki-Makuyana, said future energy projects need to adapt to changes currently being experienced in the country.
“At the time that the Chipendeke Micro Hydro Scheme was set up, effects of climate change were yet to take their toll and the data that was used then was historical and relevant,” Mutubuki-Makuyana said.
“Kariba at one point, for instance, was enough to serve the whole Nation, but as demand for power grew, there is now need for alternative sources of energy.
“Chipendeke Micro Hydro Scheme therefore serves as a lesson that as we design energy projects we need to use futuristic data and come up with hybrid systems that provide energy security and hopefully some donors will be agreeable to these projects as long as the renewables fall in their basket.”
As communities continue to battle with climate change, energy security and poverty, among other things, there is need to interrogate the best ways to achieve universal access to energy.

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