Siabuwa Solar Project installation complete

It is exciting to hear that the solar power installation at Siabuwa Secondary School and ITC is complete. This is indeed good news for the Zambezi Valley communities, in particular, for Siabuwa.

Edson Ngaaseke from Rotary Club Belmont in Bulawayo, who is the local Rotary Club sponsoring the Siabuwa project in a tri-partite arrangement with Rotary Club Linz and Rotary International, wrote to Andreas Knerr of Madison Solar Engineering in Mutare: "On behalf of Belmont Rotary Club and Rotary Linz Sued I thank you for a full report and salute your commitment to ensure the project is completed within the agreed time frame".

In fact the undertaking was quite challenging. Read the lively reports and email communication along the timeline:

Richard: 07 Nov 2010
I have just been to Siabuwa and had a brief discussion with Mr. Victor Nkomo of NN Joinery, the company that is contracted to build the Siabuwa Solar Structure. I'm happy to say work has actually started at Siabuwa ITC and as you can see on the attachments, workers are today working on the foundation of the structure.
We discussed the need for NN Joinery to make an effort to meet the latest starting date by Madison Solar Engineering by the 15th of November. The factor that's going to cause the greatest delay is the "curing" of the concrete structure. However he made a commitment that they will load the structure from the 14th to the 15th of November. Madison can move to site on the 15th. He indicated that they were not given the size of the panels so they need to drill the holes where the panels will be fixed when Madison arrives (or unless Chenge provides these details on time in Bulawayo. Regards, -- Richard Simango

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Meanwhile (16th Nov) there was quite some confusion and anxiety caused by conflicting reports about progress achieved in Siabuwa. Richards report:

The structure for the panels is almost ready with only a few touch ups left. These include the agreed adjustments with Andreas of Madison Investments and the pouring of the floor concrete. Andreas arrived on site this afternoon and started straight to put things in place by setting up the battery room equipment and the batteries. Craig, his electrician, was busy also with electrical installations. If all was equal Andreas wanted to finish and get out of Siabuwa tomorrow afternoon. Victor Nkomo would have to hang on a bit because they agreed that the concrete can be poured after all the panels are setup on the structure. Please find attached some visuals of work going on in Siabuwa (you will find them soon in the media section).

Regards Richard Simango, Tonga.Online

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Edson Ngaaseke, 16th Nov.:

The contractor left Sunday 14 November, for Siabuwa and he gave us his word that he will meet the deadline dates.
Madison passed through Bulawayo last night for Siabuwa should have stopped at St Lukes Hospital for overnight stay. All things being equal they will arrive in Siabuwa this afternoon.
Richard will meet them and will proceed to Binga with them. I have asked Richard to give us a status report tonight when he returns from Siabuwa.
We have no choice the builders have to deliver according their promise. We also think that they will have had two days at the site to catch up before Madison sets to start installation work.
We continue to pray that the weather will hold.
Many thanks.

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Richard:

On arriving at the site, Andreas discovered that the structure was
different from what he has envisaged. Hence he will need scafolding instead of
ladders. This caused a problem since Andreas says he will need the
scafolding being currently used by Victor. BUT the big question is on
who should pay for the extra costs of hiring the scafolding?

The structure for the panels is almost ready with only a few touch ups
left. These include the agreed adjustments with Andreas of Madison
Investments and the pouring of the floor concrete.

Andreas arrived on site this afternoon and started straight to put
things in place by setting up the battery room equipment and the
batteries. Craig his, electrician, was busy also with electrical
installations.

If all was equal Andreas wanted to finish and get out of Siabuwa
tomorow afternoon.

Victor Nkomo would have to hang on a bit because they agreed that the
concrete can be poured after all the panels are setup on the
structure.

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Karl Schwaha / Rotary Linz South, 17th Nov.

 

Dear All,
Since I am out of home I only have limited access to my e-mails. With great anxiety I followed the exiting events over the last days. Now may I take the opportunity to thank all of you for your efforts and personal contributions to finally get the project completed. I will write to you more on behalf of Rotary club Linz Sued at the weekend.
with best regards
Karl Schwaha

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Andreas Knerr, Madison
Dear All,

Our team has made it back safely from Siabuwa late on Friday afternoon and an extremely exhausting week for all of us is coming to an end. All prayers towards reasonable weather conditions for the travelling and installation duration were heard it seems and answered. The good news also is that we managed to finish the solar installation at Siabuwa successfully despite the tough challenges we were facing at site and eventually handed over the project to the headmaster of the school. No doubt, this has been the most difficult and challenging project we have ever completed...
Apparently the new headmaster was not involved in any previous decision making or developments regarding the solar system as he has been posted to his new job only recently with the previous headmaster still on extended leave. He did try his best though to resolve this unexpected situation and has been very supportive.
As you all know by now the structure had not been completed on the day of our arrival as agreed and was not what we had anticipated and what Ludwig had suggested last and we all agreed on. Once we realised the changes made we started to work and cooperate with Victor and his team to make the best out of the situation.
...
Many thanks for your trust and confidence in us and I trust we have delivered a good and working system as was expected.