Kyle Prep commissions US$52 000 solar system




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MASVINGO – Kyle Preparatory, a private school in Masvingo has become one of the first institutions in the country to install a large solar system at a cost of US$52 900.

According to information availed during the commissioning function held at the school yesterday, the 15Kva system is the third net metering system in Masvingo Province after National Pharmaceutical Company of Zimbabwe (NatPharm) and a Gutu household and it will feed into the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) national grid.

Nat Pharm and the Gutu household generate 300 Kva and 10 Kva respectively.

The Mirror attended the commissioning function where the Minister of State for Masvingo Ezra Chadzamira was the guest of honor.

The system which has 36 solar panels, six lithium batteries and three invertors was installed by Inyasha Electricals of Bulawayo and the installation work began in October 2021.

The net effect of the system is that the school will get reduced electricity bills from ZETDC.

The commissioning was attended by Kyle Prep board including engineer Tawanda Gozo, Zesa Masvingo manager Jacqueline Hlatshwayo, Jackson Mupoperi, Kyle Prep head Magura Mhaka, Acting Provincial Education Director (PED) Shylatte Mhike and ZETDC Eastern Region Commercial Manager Gibson Runesu.

The solar will be used to power the administration block, IT block, hostels and dining rooms. The project was funded through the development levy fund, said Mhaka.

“Government is implementing the National Development Strategy (NDS) 1 which calls for inclusion of communities in development so that no one is left behind. President Mnangagwa recently attended the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference where generation of clean energy was prioritized and this is what you have done.

“Children are the future and the greatest treasure we have. Let us steer them away from drugs, teenage pregnancies and cyber bullying, Government is also increasing the number of base stations to improve network so that pupils doing online lessons have a better experience,” said Chadzamira.

“Kyle Preparatory is the third place to have the net metering after Nat Pharm with a 300KW system and a Gutu household with a 10KW solar system,” said Hlatswayo.

Engineer Gozo who spoke on behalf of the school board chairman Edmore Chigonga said the project was necessitated by the need for a reliable power source to conduct online sessions for pupils.

“We put lots of hard work and preparation into the solar system and we are hoping that the whole school will soon be relying on solar energy. We have ECD boarding pupils who cannot use led lights at their hostels when power goes out and this will also reduce utility bills.

“The whole project costs US$52 900 and our teachers can now hold online lessons with their pupils without any disruptions,” said Gozo.

Head girl Rachel Gomo applauded the board for installing the solar system saying pupils are now able to read at night and conduct lessons without disruptions.https://www.masvingomirror.com