CHINESE-OWNED company Jin Yi (Pvt) Ltd plans to establish an Economic Development Zone (EDZ) in Gweru, the Midlands province , leveraging its ongoing investment in a 100 megawatt (MW) independent thermal power plant.
The EDZ is expected to attract investment across the ferrochrome value chain and support small to medium enterprises (SMEs), thanks to guaranteed power supply.
The thermal power plant, which is being constructed in two phases of 50 MW each, will form the backbone of the planned industrial zone.
The second phase is scheduled for completion by December 2025, while the first phase, already under construction, is expected to be commissioned by June 2026.
The availability of reliable power is expected to address a long-standing bottleneck in industrial production and encourage the establishment of new businesses in and around Gweru.
Speaking during a tour of Jin Yi’s chrome smelting plant in Gweru recently, Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Owen Ncube said the project was in line with the government’s drive to modernise the economy and attract investment into key productive sectors.
“Reliable and sustainable energy is the cornerstone of modern industrialisation. Without power, no serious investor will come,” he said.
“What Jin Yi is doing is not just about their own production needs, but about unlocking value across the economy — from mining and smelting to manufacturing and services.
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“This is a clear demonstration of Vision 2030 in action.”
Jin Yi currently operates five ferrochrome smelting furnaces with a combined annual production capacity of 30 000 tonnes of high carbon ferrochrome.
However, due to persistent power shortages, only four furnaces are running at 70% capacity, employing 270 workers.
Company officials say full-scale operations running all five furnaces at 110% capacity would require 20 MW of consistent power supply.
The new power plant will ensure this demand is met, enabling increased output and expansion into new areas of production.
The establishment of the EDZ is expected to result in greater product diversification, increased exports, and job creation in the province.
“This development will transform Gweru into an industrial hub, create employment, and uplift communities in line with our devolution goals,” Ncube said. “We need more companies to follow this model of integrated investment.”
