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Kudakwashe Choga, a 50-year-old resident of Mvuma, recently appeared in court for stealing 364 units of electricity from the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of ZESA Holdings.
Choga was charged in the Mvuma Magistrates’ Court with violating the Electricity Act, which prohibits the unlawful abstraction or diversion of electricity current.
The Act states that it is illegal to “abstract or divert any electric current or cause any electric current to be abstracted or diverted, or knowingly use any electric current which has been unlawfully abstracted or diverted.”
The court heard that from March 26 to May 2, 2024, Choga tampered with the electricity line conductor supplying power to his meter.
He connected the conductor directly to his load, effectively bypassing the meter and avoiding payment for the electricity consumed.
As a result of his actions, Choga caused ZETDC to suffer a loss of 364 units of electricity, valued at ZWL$1,237.60.
He was sentenced to six months in prison, with four months suspended on the condition that he restitutes the ZWL$1,237.60 by November 30, 2024.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

A 50-year-old man named Kudakwashe Choga from Mvuma stole 364 units of electricity from ZESA. This is against the law. He tampered with the electricity line to bypass the meter and not pay for the electricity he used. As a result, ZESA lost money. Choga was sentenced to six months in jail. He can avoid two months of jail time if he pays back the money he owes by a certain date. It is important to follow the law and pay for the services we use.

Mvuma Man (50) Jailed For Stealing 364 Units Of Electricity From ZESA

Zambia announced on Thursday it will import electricity from South Africa and Zimbabwe as drought reduced hydropower output, leading to load shedding of up to 16 hours a day.
Speaking at a press conference, Energy Minister Makozo Chikote said that the state-owned power company ZESCO will procure 218 megawatts of power from South Africa’s Eskom and the Zimbabwe Power Company. Said Chikote:
<blockquote>
ZESCO Limited has negotiated the procurement of 218 MW of power from Eskom, South Africa, and Zimbabwe Power Company… The electricity procured from the two companies is expected to be injected into the grid within the month of August.
</blockquote>
Chikote also revealed that as of June 30, 2024, Zambia had recalled 260 MW out of a total of 500 MW from the export market.
The Zambian Energy Minister further stated that by the end of July, ZESCO could only supply less than half of the country’s peak demand, putting the power deficit at around 1,360 megawatts.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), which is currently generating 1,325 MW, can sell excess electricity during off-peak hours.
ZETDC, Zimbabwe’s electricity distribution company, is currently implementing up to 16 hours of load shedding during the day. However, at night, due to reduced electricity usage, the country has a surplus.
On Monday, August 5, the Hwange Thermal Power Station hit 1 Gigawatt (1,004 MW) of power generation, a significant milestone.
However, Kariba was only generating a paltry 292 MW, while independent power producers (IPPs) contributed 29MW, giving a total generation of 1,325 MW for Zimbabwe.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zambia is getting less electricity due to a drought, so they will import power from South Africa and Zimbabwe. They will get 218 megawatts of power from these countries, and it should be available in August. Zambia has a big electricity shortage, with a deficit of 1,360 megawatts. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has extra power at night but not enough during the day. The Hwange Thermal Power Station in Zimbabwe hit a milestone by generating 1,004 MW. Zambia and Zimbabwe are working together to solve their energy problems.

Zambia To Import Electricity From Zimbabwe, South Africa

The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), a ZESA Holdings subsidiary, requires US$500 million for the repowering of Hwange Power Station Units 1 to 6, an official at the power utility has said.
The repowering programme is expected to take four to five years to complete.
Addressing members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy who were on a fact-finding mission recently, ZPC general manager Shepherd Mukundu said they have borrowed US$50 million to kick-start the project. He said (via <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/us450-million-to-repower-hwange-units-1-6/">The Sunday News</a>):
<blockquote>
We are still talking to Exim Bank of India who are going to be the financier for that repowering initiative, it’s going to come in two tranches, one of them is US$310 million and another one US$110 million which was originally meant for Bulawayo Power Station.
So, we have taken it upon ourselves to borrow money from Stanbic, a US$50 million facility to kick-start the repowering process such that when we eventually get funding from Exim Bank of India it will find us somewhere.
But what we would have wanted is to get all the money that we want so that we can then increase traction.
</blockquote>
In addition to about 600 MW being generated by two new units (7 and 8), Units 1 to 6 are producing 420MW at most, according to Mukundu. He said:
<blockquote>
In terms of power generation, our low-hanging fruit currently is the repowering of Units 1 to 6, we are producing 420MW which is not easy to sustain given the conditions of the plant but we thank God that we are doing that capacity currently.
One of the deliverables that we expect to see coming from repowering is increased capacity, increased reliability and also extension of life from 15 to 20 years that is what we seek to achieve in terms of repowering.
</blockquote>
Mukundu also said ZPC has started using its own resources to finance the repowering. He said:
<blockquote>
Our revenues remain subdued compared to critical obligations such as financing operations that include offsetting loans, spare parts purchase as well as the import bill. ZPC requires US$5 million for spare parts that are imported.
</blockquote>
In the first quarter of 2024, Hwange Power Station generated 1 696.4 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity, accounting for 75.4 per cent of the total electricity generated during that period.
This comes as generation from Kariba Hydro-Power Station has continued to decline due to falling water levels in Kariba Dam, attributed to severe drought during the 2023/24 rainy season.
Kariba contributed 19.6 per cent (440.5 GWh), and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) provided the remaining 5.1 per cent.
On 21 June, Hwange was generating 929 MW, Kariba a paltry 292 MW, and IPPs were producing 23 MW.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZESA Seeks US$450 Million To Repower Hwange Units 1 To 6

The Government has given large-scale miners two years, that is, up to 2026, to establish their own power generation plants.
The local electricity demand is projected to be above 3,000 megawatts in two years due to the growth in the mining and smelting sectors.
Besides the US$1,5 billion Dinson Iron and Steel Company (Discosteel) plant in Manhize near Mvuma, Midlands, which commenced production of pig iron on Wednesday, 12 June, there are several other projects across the country.
In an interview with <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/watch-mines-given-ultimatum-2-year-window-to-set-up-power-plants/">State media</a> on the sidelines of the Energy and Power Development Parliamentary Portfolio Committee workshop in Bulawayo recently, Energy and Power Development Minister, Edgar Moyo, said the government expects electricity demand to rise to 3 200MW.
He said the mining sector alone was expected to consume about 2 600MW, agriculture 120MW and households 500MW. Said Moyo:
<blockquote>
We recognise that the mining sector is growing, particularly with the coming of the lithium mines. The power demand has surged phenomenally.
And, as the Government we cannot adequately provide power alone, we need to do it with the private sector.
We have approved a policy that these miners, particularly, the ferrochrome miners who are heavily subsidised, should develop their own generation plants from the renewable side.
We gave ferrochrome miners two years to set up their own generation plants. The time frame begins this year, which is 2024 and we expect that by 2026 they should have set up their own generation plants.
They can have their own solar plants to augment what they get from the national grid. We are going into a kind of partnership where the responsibility to provide power has to be shared between the Government and the mining companies.
</blockquote>
Moyo also said Independent Power Producers (IPPs) were producing nearly 100MW and the projection was that the national consumption will shoot to 3 000MW.
He said the country still has a deficit of between 200MW and 500MW depending on the days.
On Thursday, June 13, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) said Hwange was generating 911MW, Kariba 450MW and IPPs 44 MW.
However, load shedding has intensified across the country over the past week or so, leading many people to express doubt about the statistics provided by ZPC.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Government Gives Mining Firms Two Years To Set Up Power Plants

The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Gloria Magombo (pictured) has said the Government is committed to ensuring that the electricity supply is improved and once it reaches optimum levels, it is sustained.
This comes amid a modest increase in power generation by the power utility over the past few weeks which has resulted in reduced load shedding.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/increased-power-generation-a-giant-leap/">The Herald</a> yesterday, Magombo said one of the major strategies the Government has adopted is to ensure that the power utility, ZESA Holdings, recovers the full cost of electricity supply. She said:
<blockquote>
The most important thing that you have to appreciate as indicated previously is that the Government will continue to engage various partners either in the private sector or our entities to ensure that power supply improves and is sustained and one of the major strategies which we have taken which was through the regulatory issues was to ensure that the utility can recover the full cost of supply.
They need to be empowered such that they are then able to meet the cost of the supply of energy and also that of maintenance and repairs of their equipment.
The equipment is old. It’s a process not an event so they will continue to take the steps to ensure that all the old equipment is taken out slowly and taken for a full overhaul.
We have adopted a strategy that the private sector should be part of and, as a Government, we have seen a high increase in private sector installations of commercial and industrial systems to assist ZESA in meeting its part.
We have seen a huge increase in solar rooftops which are also being connected to the grid, especially during the day and for us, we want to appreciate the private sector’s initiatives to also complement the efforts of the utility to ensure everyone does their part.
</blockquote>
On Thursday, 08 February, the country was generating a total of 1 430MW against a demand of at least 1 800MW.
The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) was generating 824MW and 558MW from Hwange and Kariba, respectively, while Independent Power Producers (IPPs) were producing 48MW.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Govt Committed To Ensuring Increased Power Supply - Magombo

The Minister of Energy and Power Development, <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/Edgar_Moyo">Edgar Moyo</a> has said that the country will start experiencing reduced load shedding at the end of November when Hwange Thermal Power Station’s Unit 7 is back on the national grid.
Last month, Unit 7 was taken off the national grid to undergo Class C Maintenance, a statutory procedure that requires the unit to be taken off the grid after running for a defined period. The unit has a capacity of 300 megawatts.
Responding to lawmakers during a question and answer session on Wednesday, Minister Moyo, however, said it will take time for the country to be able to generate enough electricity to end load shedding. He said:
<blockquote>
We are going to begin to experience reduced load shedding at the end of November when Unit 7 comes on board.
However, on complete load shedding, at the moment I cannot give a timeline because we are working on repowering Units 1 to 6 and each time we are repowering these units, we are going to be taking one unit out at a time. Once it is repaired, we take another unit.
It is going to take a little bit of time, but however, we are banking mainly on independent power producers that I have said are currently projects that are ongoing up to about 600 megawatts.
I cannot give that timetable, but we are working towards that. In terms of power import, we expect to eliminate that by 2025. That is how I can respond.
</blockquote>
Minister Moyo said the country’s electricity shortages have been exacerbated by the depressed generation at the Kariba Power Station due to dwindling water levels in the dam. He said:
<blockquote>
Yes indeed, we are going through a depressed generation in all our power stations in the country at the moment.
The reasons are: firstly, hydrological issues at Kariba Dam where our water levels have since gone so low that we now have a depressed generation at Kariba.
Our normal storing capacity in Kariba is 1050 megawatts but we are currently running between 250 and 300 megawatts and that is already a depressed capacity for generation.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe requires at least 1 800 MW but on Thursday, the country was generating a total of 1 212 MW. Hwange was producing 674 MW, Kariba was generating 500 MW, and 38 MW were coming from Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

No End In Sight To Load Shedding - Minister Moyo

Large-scale miners project electricity demand and diesel consumption in the sector to increase by 20 percent and 35 percent respectively in 2024 due to ongoing capital projects.
According to a State of Mining Industry Survey Report for 2024 released by the Chamber of Mines last week, the mining sector is expected to consume more electricity and diesel next next compared to this year. Part of the report seen by the <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/electricity-demand-expected-to-go-up-20-percent/">Chronicle</a>, reads:
<blockquote>
On average, mining executives are expecting their operations to consume more power in 2024, compared to 2023. Analysis of survey data shows that electricity demand is expected to increase by around 20 percent in 2024 while diesel consumption is expected to increase by 35 percent. Most respondents cited ongoing capital projects as the major drivers of energy.
</blockquote>
The report, however, noted that mining executives reported that power supply was generally fragile and unscheduled power outages have resulted in production stoppages and output losses.
The mining executives recommended prioritisation of mining companies for available power and incentivise private power projects including tax incentives to support investments in Independent Power Projects that supplement available power.
The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) is currently generating just over 1 000MW, which is far below the required 1 800MW and this has resulted in prolonged power cuts.
Last year, the Government tabled various incentives to attract investments in renewable energy, which include guarantees for investors to remit dividends in foreign currency and be able to repay offshore loans, in a bid to meet its target.
The Zimbabwe National Renewable Energy Policy, launched in 2019 set the target of achieving a renewable capacity of 1 100MW or 16.5 percent of overall electricity supply by 2025.
By 2030, it targets 2 100MW or 26.5 percent of the overall supplies, which is in line with its pledge to reduce greenhouse emissions by 2030.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Mining Executives Expect Electricity Demand To Rise By 20 Percent In 2024

ZESA Holdings is mulling more tariff increases, saying it lost US$3.7 billion over the years because of below-cost tariffs.
The power utility was recently awarded a US$0.002 per kilowatt hour tariff increase by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA).
ZESA’s power distribution arm, the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC), then increased the tariff from US$0.10 per kilowatt-hour to US$0.12, which is still slightly below the regional average of US$0.1254.
Speaking during the State of the Mining Industry report breakfast seminar held in Bulawayo last week, ZETDC acting managing director Abel Gurupira said the power utility requires US$2.8 billion to revamp Hwange Power Station units 1 to 6. <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/business/article/200019170/more-zesa-tariff-increases-loom">NewsDay</a> quoted Gurupira as saying:
<blockquote>
We are looking at US$2.8 billion that we need for rehabilitation and repowering, maintenance and the construction of Hwange Units 1 to 6. Unfortunately, the country has ceased to be credit-worthy.
Who will want to invest when you cannot recoup? We have lost almost US$3.7 billion because of below-cost tariffs.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing heightened load shedding as Hwange’s Unit 7 is undergoing its 30 days mandatory maintenance process which would be followed by Unit 8.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

"ZESA Lost US$3.7 Billion Due To Low Tariffs"

Power utility, ZESA Holdings, is pushing for another tariff hike to recoup losses and supply more stable electricity to consumers, reported <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/business/article/200019170/more-zesa-tariff-increases-loom">NewsDay</a>.
Recently, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) awarded a US$0.02 per kilowatt hour tariff increase to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of ZESA Holdings.
Before the recent tariff increase, ZESA was charging US$0.10 per kilowatt-hour, leaving it operating from a loss-making position.
The average price per kilowatt hour for electricity in the region is US$0.1254, and ZESA is now charging US$0.12.
Speaking during the State of the Mining Industry report breakfast seminar held in Bulawayo last week, ZETDC acting managing director Abel Gurupira said:
<blockquote>
We are a regulated authority even with the tariff that we were awarded, let me say we are not yet there. We are almost 79%.
The tariff has been so suppressed; this leads to difficulties in the recapitalisation of ZESA. We have aged machinery.
We saw it fitting that we structure everything. We have been driving this vehicle since the 1930s or 1940s.
We need a mindset shift to say ZESA is government so everything from the government must be cheap.
This business of the vehicle will collapse then we will realise that what is better is to have the right price with stable electricity or to have erratic delivery of electricity at a cheap price.
</blockquote>
He said there were initiatives by SADC countries to tap into the more than 2 000 megawatts (MW) of power lying idle in Angola due to transmission challenges.
Gurupira added that Zimbabwe will require 2 000MW in the next two to five years.
Currently, the Zimbabwe Power Company, a ZESA subsidiary, is generating just above 1 000MW of power.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZESA Wants To Hike Electricity Tariff, Again

Chinhoyi MP Leslie Mhangwa (CCC) has accused politicians of lying about the country’s power crisis when they claim that the situation has vastly improved.
Mhangwa, a qualified electrical engineer, is the chairman of the parliamentary portfolio committee on energy and power development.
Speaking during an ongoing 2024 pre-budget seminar in Harare, Mhangwa said that politicians were lying when they continuously told citizens that the commissioning of Hwange Units 7 and 8 earlier this year would bring the power crisis to an end.<a href="https://www.zimlive.com/politicians-accused-of-lying-about-zimbabwes-dire-power-supply-situation/"> ZimLive.com</a> quoted Mhangwa as saying:
<blockquote>
There is a misconception partly because of us politicians that Zimbabwe is energy secure.
We give the impression that we are sorted; the country is out of the electricity quagmire but the situation on the ground will not paint the same picture.
</blockquote>
Units Hwange 7 and 8 units were commissioned earlier this year and have a combined generation capacity of 600MW.
However, Hwange units 1 to 6 are constantly breaking down because the power station now is too old. Added Mhangwa:
<blockquote>
If Hwange 1 to 6 is working, Kariba, small thermals and independent power producers that we have licenced, we should get to 3,000MW against a peak demand of 1 900MW.
But the reality on the ground is that on a normal day, Hwange 1 to 6 gives us 50 percent because of age, units 7 and 8 can give us 680MW but every now and then, we need to do routine maintenance.
</blockquote>
He said the ministry placed a bid for ZWL$192 billion in the 2024 budget but was given a cap of ZWL$68 billion by the Treasury.
Speaking at the same event, secretary for Energy and Power Development Gloria Magombo said the Government is considering upgrading Hwange Thermal Power Station’s old units, that is, units 1 to 6. She said:
<blockquote>
The repowering of Hwange 1 to 6 will unlock an additional 350MW which is a low-hanging fruit and can be completed within two years.
We also see the coming in of Independent Power Producers unlocking an additional 1 000MW.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Politicians Accused Of Lying About Zimbabwe's Electricity Supply Situation

Energy and Power Development Minister Edgar Moyo said that electricity generation in the country has improved following the completion of maintenance works at Hwange Power Station’s Unit 8 last week.
Speaking in an interview with <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/improved-power-supply-as-zesa-completes-unit-maintenance/">The Sunday News</a>, Moyo said Hwange Unit 8 was under maintenance works for a number of weeks and this affected the electricity supply leading to power cuts. He said:
<blockquote>
Unit 8 at Hwange Power Station had been off for a while undergoing maintenance works.
It is now back on line and this is why you realise that the electricity supply has improved.
What we also have to understand is that at times we get frequent breakdowns or faults hence it might not be necessarily load-shedding.
Load-shedding occurs when we have a mismatch in the supply of electricity and its demand.
</blockquote>
Moyo said the unavailability of Unit 8 forced the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) to increase power generation at Kariba Hydro Power Station. He said:
<blockquote>
Our supply is not always constant; it depends on a lot of variables for example at Kariba Power Station we are now reducing productivity due to hydrology issues where water is now very low.
We are trying to stretch power generation up to the end of the year. However, sometimes if one of the units at Hwange Power Station has a problem, we increase generation at Kariba.
On the other hand, if our units at Hwange are giving us good production, we reduce at Kariba to save water. So it’s never a straight line.
As government however, we remain committed to the provision of uninterrupted power supply in order to be able to drive the industrialisation agenda towards an upper-middle-income economy.
</blockquote>
From 01 September to 22 September, Kariba Power Station was producing up to 925 megawatts, which was significantly more than what Hwange Power Station was generating.
However, from 23 September, power generation at Hwange improved with last Wednesday’s production going up to 1008 megawatts.
On Monday, 02 October, Hwange was generating 970MW, Kariba was producing 611MW, and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) were generating 21MW to give a total of 1 602MW.
<img alt="Image" decoding="async" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F7arLh9XoAAAAjR?format=png&amp;name=large"/>
Zimbabwe’s electricity consumption stands at above 1 800 megawatts.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Electricity Supply Improves As ZESA Completes Hwange Unit 8 Maintenance

A power outage that has lasted for three consecutive days within Gweru’s Central Business District (CBD) has negatively affected businesses.
The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) on Saturday said the power outage was caused by a cable fault and was being attended to.
Banks and some retail shops have resorted to using generators, while Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the tailoring industry, have lost significant business as they could not fulfill orders for uniforms, with schools opening this week.
The power outage has also affected internet services and voice calls, making it challenging for residents to purchase electricity coupons and conduct mobile money transactions.
According to a notice by ZETDC, the affected areas are as follows:
<blockquote>
Main Street, Robert Mugabe Avenue, 8th Street, Jason Moyo Avenue, Bahadur Centre, First Mutual Building, Old Zesa District Offices, Magistrate Courts, ZRP Central Office, Bensam Flats, Nice Time, DCK, Chitukuko, Zuva Garage, Old Mutual Building, Nandos, Teachers Furnitures, Econet Wireless, Moonlight Building, Shopwell Building, Glow Petroleum, NSSA, Educare, Legion Bar, 5 th, 6 th, 7th, ZBC, Police Main Camp, Gweru East – Princess, Simpson Road, Strand Road, Kent Crescent, Kopje Road and the surrounding areas.
</blockquote>
The power outage comes at a time when the electricity situation in the country has vastly improved compared to the first quarter of 2023.
The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) on Friday said it was generating a total of 1 555 MW from two power stations, that is, Hwange Power Station (665 MW) and Kariba Power Station (890 MW), which is nearly enough to meet the country’s power needs.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZESA Cable Fault Plunges Gweru CBD Into Darkness

<a href="https://pindula.co.zw/ZESA">ZESA Holdings</a> chief executive Howard Choga has said the power utility aims to more than double national grid capacity by 2025 to meet increasing demand mainly driven by the mining industry.
Addressing a mining conference on Thursday in Victoria Falls, Choga said that ZESA expects to add 2 300 MW to the grid by 2025. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/zimbabwe-aims-double-power-output-by-2025-meet-mining-demand-2023-06-01/?rpc=401&amp;">Reuters</a> quoted Choga as saying:
<blockquote>
We expect that by 2025, we would have added 2 300 MW to the grid. I must say over 80% of the 2 300 MW is demand from miners.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe currently has a generating capacity of 2 000 megawatts (MW) but is producing less than 1 500 MW due to regular breakdowns at its thermal power stations and low water levels at Kariba Dam for the Kariba Hydropower plant.
As of Thursday, 01 June 2023, the Zimbabwe Power Company, a subsidiary of ZESA Holdings, was generating a total of 1 423 MW.
Choga also revealed that Zambia and Mozambique cut off electricity supplies to Zimbabwe over failure to pay for imports. He said:
<blockquote>
We have had a discontinuation of supply from Zambia and Mozambique because we failed to pay. After accumulated bills imports were then discontinued on March 13.
</blockquote>
In December 2021, the Government unveiled incentives meant to help bring 1 100 MW of new solar projects on stream by 2025 but little progress has been made due to a lack of investment in new energy projects.
At the conference, miners complained of losing up to 12 hours of production time daily due to power cuts.
Zimbabweans are spending more than 12 hours each day without electricity both at home and at the office. 
The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) recently offered some tips on managing electricity usage in the office saying this helps alleviate pressure on the grid. Here are the tips:
<ul>
<li>Replace all incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs).</li>
<li>During the day, where possible, use natural lighting from windows rather than using lights.</li>
<li>Switch off all lights when leaving the office.</li>
<li>Switch off computers and printers from the plug, when leaving the office. Appliances on standby mode still consume energy.</li>
<li>Insulate water heaters, hot water piping, and tanks to reduce heat loss.</li>
<li>Invest in energy-efficient air conditioning systems and energy-efficient electronic devices. Opt for fan heaters instead of element heaters.</li>
<li>Go green, and use renewable energy. Consider installing solar panels for other energy needs, and sell the excess to the grid.</li>
</ul>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZESA Aims To Add 2 300 MW To The Grid By 2025

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) regularly adjusts electricity tariffs making it imperative for its customers to manage electricity consumption to cut costs.
ZETDC has offered some tips on managing electricity usage in in the office saying this helps alleviate pressure on the grid. Here are the tips:
<ul>
<li>Replace all incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs).</li>
<li>During the day, where possible, use natural lighting from windows rather than using lights.</li>
<li>Switch off all lights when leaving the office.</li>
<li>Switch off computers and printers from the plug, when leaving the office. Appliances on standby mode still consume energy.</li>
<li>Insulate water heaters, hot water piping, and tanks to reduce heat loss.</li>
<li>Invest in energy-efficient air conditioning systems and energy-efficient electronic devices. Opt for fan heaters instead of element heaters.</li>
<li>Go green, and use renewable energy. Consider installing solar panels for other energy needs, and sell the excess to the grid.</li>
</ul>
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing long hours of power blackouts due to under-investment in the energy sector which has resulted in ageing power plants generating below capacity.
On Friday, 19 May, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) was generating a total of 1 005MW at its five power stations against national demand of roughly 2 200MW.
Kariba was producing 750MW, Hwange, 240MW, Harare 15MW, Munyati 0MW, Bulawayo, 0MW.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Here Is How To Manage Electricity Usage In The Office

Zimbabwe’s thermal power generation dropped significantly on Tuesday 28 February 2023, with Hwange Thermal Power Station producing only 74 megawatts (MW) against the 920MW installed capacity.
The three small thermal stations – Bulawayo, Harare, and Munyati had zero output.
Hwange Power Station is the largest coal-fired power station in Zimbabwe with 920MW installed capacity which comprises 4x120MW and 2×220 MW units.
According to power generation figures from the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), Hwange Thermal Station production levels fell to 74MW. As a result, households are going for more than 16 hours without power.
Kariba South Hydropower Station was producing 250MW due to low water levels in the dam. The power plant has 1 050MW installed capacity.
Meanwhile, Hwange Power Station has been prone to breakdowns as most of its units are old.
On Monday 27 February, Hwange generated 75MW down from 168MW and 139 MW on Friday and Thursday last week respectively.
Early in the month, Hwange alone contributed about 384MW to the national grid.
Hwange units 7 and 8 are each expected to feed 300MW into the national grid when completed. It is not known when the two units will come on stream.
According to reports, Zimbabwe has a peak electricity demand of 1 600MW.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe's Power Plants Generating 324MW In Total

Mozambique’s Electridade de Moçambique (EDM) plans to increase power exports to other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries.
Speaking to the AIM news agency, EDM chairman Marcelino Gildo Alberto said that power exports to the region currently represent 22 per cent of EDM’s annual revenues. <a href="https://macaonews.org/portuguese-speaking-countries/electricidade-de-mocambique-to-export-energy-to-south-africa-zambia-and-zimbabwe/">The Macao News quoted Alberto as saying</a>:
<blockquote>
The southern African region is in crisis. South Africa is short of power, Zimbabwe the same, Zambia too, and recently we learned that Tanzania is starting to have problems.
So, we are going to take advantage of this situation to sell to the regional market, because we have surplus energy.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe and Zambia’s electricity crises are partly attributable to falling water levels at Lake Kariba.
Last year, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) ordered ZESA and ZESCO, Zimbabwe and Zambia’s power utilities respectively, to reduce electricity generation last year.
Zimbabwe operates the Kariba South Bank Power Station, which has an installed capacity of 1 050MW, while Zambia operates the Kariba North Bank Power Station which has an installed capacity of 1 080MW.
On 4 January 2023, Zambia’s State-owned power utility ZESCO Limited increased hours of load shedding to twelve (12) hours daily due to low water levels in the lake.
ZESA was also forced to reduce power generation at Kariba South Power Station towards the end of 2022 due to dwindling water levels, and as of 5 January 2023, the power plant was generating a meagre 260MW.

Mozambican Firm To Export Electricity To Zimbabwe, South Africa and Zambia

The government says it has mobilised US$34 million towards the importation of electricity from regional producers to augment local generation.
Speaking in the National Assembly last week, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said US$34 million is being processed to assist the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) and Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) to import electricity. Said Ncube:
<blockquote>
We have intervened in terms of emergency resources to support both ZETDC and ZPC to the tune of US$34 million to source power from outside.
Unfortunately, that is the best we can do immediately and this is being processed over the next seven days.
</blockquote>
Ncube also said the government will on Monday, 19 December announce independent power producers (IPPs) that will get support to generate power to meet national demand. He said:
<blockquote>
I am happy to report that we have thoroughly concluded the structure and framework of what we call the Government Implementation Agreement to support investment from the Independent Power Producers (IPPS).
It will cover three areas — an appropriate level of tariffs; Government guarantees on the power purchase agreement and also guarantee currency compatibility.
They have asked for these three things and we have put three of the projects on a pilot.
We are now satisfied that we can as Government support GIA to cover those three areas.
Monday next week, we will make a formal announcement and this will go a long way in the medium term in dealing with the power situation.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing one of its worst power crises, with electricity users spending up to 18 hours per day in the dark.
On 19 December 2022, ZPC was generating a total of 672MW from three power stations, Hwange (433), Kariba (221), and Munyati (18). Harare and Bulawayo power stations were not generating anything. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200005218/govt-releases-us34-million-for-electricity-imports">NewsDay</a>

Govt Releases US$34 Million For Power Imports

Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda recently issued a ministerial statement on the current electricity crisis. Below is his full ministerial statement to Parliament:
<blockquote>
THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. SODA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for allowing me this opportunity to present a Ministerial Statement on the state of electricity supply that is currently obtaining in the country. Zimbabwe is currently experiencing a depressed power supply situation which was exacerbated by the reduced power production from Kariba Power Station.
Besides the usual challenges of aged equipment at the country’s thermal power stations, climate change effects have hit hard on us at the Kariba South Hydro Power Plant where the dam that supports generation of power has received much reduced water inflows due to the poor 2021-2022 rain season.
The water levels at Kariba Dam have gone down such that power generation at the dam had to be curtailed.
You might be aware Mr. Speaker Sir that on Friday, 25th November this year, the Zambezi River Authority notified the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) that the utility had exhausted its water allocation for 2022 and there was need for the power station to be completely shut down.
The shutdown of the power plant would have had the following impacts: about 70% of the country’s power supply would have been lost as a result of shutting down the power station.
The network stabilization would also have been disturbed which ordinarily would be done through Kariba Power Station.
The Ministry engaged its counterparts in Zambia through meetings which were held at board level and also there was a recommendation from the board to allow the two utilities to engage.
It was through those engagements that the Council of Ministers had an Extra Ordinary Meeting to allow ZPC to continue generating from Kariba Power Station but this time at a reduced capacity of between 250 to 300 megawatts.
This effectively resulted in loss of about 300 megawatts capacity on our grid, increasing our power deficit to over 500 megawatts.
The country’s current available internal generation capacity gets to around 800mgw and the power is contributed as follows: from Hwange there is a generation of up to 400mgw which we are currently obtaining.
Kariba is running between 250mgw and 300mgw and then from the small thermals there is a contribution of 30mgw, which we are currently having.
Independent power producers are contributing a total of 56mgw to make up for the 800mgw which we are generating internally.
We are also getting some imports of electricity from Eskom, which is supplying us with 100mgw and another 50mgw from utilities in Mozambique called HCB and EDM also supplying 50mgw.
ZESCO of Zambia has an agreement with ZESA for the supply of 100mgw and in total, we are getting 300mgw as power imports.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, in order to mitigate the current shortfall that was occasioned mainly by the reduced power generation from Kariba Power Station the Ministry together with ZESA have come up with some measures.
The first one is to increase our imports, which I have already indicated that we are currently receiving 300mgw. We intend to increase by an additional 500mgw which we are targeting to get from Mozambique and from the Southern African Power Pool.
Discussions are currently underway for an additional capacity of 150mgw from Mozambique, particularly from EDM power utility.
We will also get another 50mgw from the participation of ZESA at the Southern Africa Power Pool Electricity Market to give us an additional 200mgw over and above the 300mgw which we are currently importing.
Another measure is to ramp up local generation. There is potential to increase generation at Hwange Power Station and I have already indicated that at the moment, we are getting 400mgw and the intention is to have it staying on the grid and sending that 400mgw.
Then from the small thermal power stations, we are intending to increase production and to obtain a contribution of 45mgw. The independent power producers who are currently connected to the grid would be expected to contribute around 75mgw with special focus on ZEE which is to us a low hanging fruit currently sending out 17mgw but their capacity is 40mgw.
They have depressed power generation as a result of incapacitation, which we are currently working on in terms of the coal which they require for power generation.
To that end, a rescue package has been proposed from the Government to cover for additional imports, coal supply and transport costs which have been an inhibiting factor to have adequate coal supplies at the small thermal power stations.
Discussions are currently underway with Treasury for the release of the rescue package. The other measure is to work on the demand side management.
Intensive power users are being engaged to reduce the load and also employ efficiencies in their operations.
Domestic customers are also encouraged to implement energy conservation measures like switching off switches and also to work on the restricted use of electricity geysers and use of efficient gadgets such as efficient lights, fridges and other appliances.
Various platforms are being used like the radio, social media, television and newspapers for members of the public to be aware of the need to conserve the available electricity.
ZESA is expediting the installation of prepaid and smart meters to improve the management of electricity consumption.
The other measure is to get the excess capacity through the net metering facility which allows customers with excess capacity from their generators like solar systems on rooftops to be connected to the grid.
There are some advantages which can be enjoyed by the producers of electricity themselves. You are aware that a normal solar system should be having some storage facilities but through this facility, you only need to have your solar panels and you will use the grid to bank your electricity which you will be withdrawing during times when you are out of production.
Currently, 5 megawatts of capacity have been connected to the grid and we are targeting an additional 7mgw.
ZESA is working flat out to ensure that these customers with excess capacity of 7mgw are immediately connected to the grid.
There shall also be an immediate review of the hydrological situation at Kariba Power Station. The reduction in the power generation capacity has been occasioned by the low water levels in the Kariba Dam.
The minimum operating level of the dam is 475.5mt above sea level. What it means is that any water that is above 475.5mt becomes the live lake storage which will be used for power generation.
For 2022, we had a total allocation of 45 billion cubic meters provided by ZRA, which was shared by our two utilities, ZESA and ZESCO.
ZESA exhausted our 22.5 billion cubic meters but inflows have just started to collect into the dam and there shall be an immediate review in January 2023. We hope that is going to ease the current load curtailment which is obtaining.
In the medium term, there shall be some interventions especially by way of the rehabilitation of the current Hwange station on the existing units 1 to 6.
Already, work is in progress and the detailed project report giving the scope of works to be done at the power station has been finalised and it was accepted by the project owners which are ZESA Holdings and we are seized with ensuring that my Ministry and the Ministry of Finance engages the Indian Exim Bank to also endorse on the detailed project report so that disbursements can immediately commence for the purposes of the rehabilitation of Hwange Power Station.
The intention is to bring that power station, the current Units 1 – 6 to the installed capacity of 920 mw, which if added to the expansion project which we are expecting to produce 600 mw, the total that will be coming from Hwange Power Station will come to 1520 mw.
In the long term, there shall be massive exploitation of hydro-power potential along the Zambezi River and the immediate one is through Batoka Hydro Electric Scheme which has a potential of producing 2 400 mw and as we speak, a feasibility study was concluded and the environmental impact studies have also been endorsed.
Another measure is on Government giving support to the independent power producers. The focus will be on solar PV generation projects. Currently, a total of 100 licenced projects have been licenced by ZERA.
My Ministry is engaging the Ministry of Finance to help de-risk the independent power producer projects through provision of Government implementation agreements for projects which have been awaiting Government guarantee to reach financial closure.
As we speak, three pilot projects have so far received Government implementation agreements and standard power purchase agreement documents. My Ministry is also finalising on the formulation of competitive procurement framework. This is work in progress and we hope by the first quarter of 2023 this will have been finalised.
I now come to the progress on the Hwange Expansion Project through Unit 7 and 8. The project involved the installation of 2 x 300 mw generation units at Hwange Thermal Power Station.
The project has surpassed 97% completion. The completion of Unit 7 is currently under way with the unit expected to be synchronised to the grid before the end of this month and we will be getting around 300 mw once the commission tests reaches commercial operations but as we commence the synchronisation or commercialisation, we will not immediately get to the 300 mw.
There shall be some connections and disconnections and testing of various performances during this process but this synchronisation will be achieved before end of this month.
Commissioning of Unit 8 will follow immediately after Unit 7 has achieved commercial operation and is expected to take not more than two months after reaching commercial operations of Unit 7.
These interventions will ease the current power supply situation and the Government is seized with the implementation of these measures. I submit.
</blockquote>

FULL TEXT: Minister Of Energy Issues Statement On Power Crisis

The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) is owed ZWL$14 billion (about US$20 million at the official rate) by its customers.
This was said by Deputy Energy and Power Development Minister Magna Mudyiwa in the Senate on Thursday while responding to questions on the current power crisis.
Mudyiwa said ZESA introduced prepaid meters because people were not paying their bills. She said:
<blockquote>
People would (use) as much electricity as they wanted and would not pay up. For your information, ZESA is owed about $14 billion right now.
ZESA is not getting any funding from the government for its operations. It is a company that is supposed to run on its own just like any other company.
It is supposed to buy equipment (such as) vehicles that are used when attending to faults.
They are supposed to procure fuel and are not getting forex because many people are paying in Zimbabwe dollars.
ZESA is supposed to pay its workers. You might have heard that there is a lot of brain drain that took place at ZESA and a lot of professionals left this country and went as far as UK and Australia and ZESA is supposed to pay its workers adequately – all that is not happening because ZESA is owed a lot of money by consumers.
All these units that we are using at Hwange need revamping, they are very old and need rehabilitation but there is no money because ZESA is owed more than (14) billion dollars.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe is facing one of its worst power crises due to depressed generation at its power plants resulting from low water levels in the case of Kariba, and recurrent breakdowns and coal shortages at its coal-fired power stations.
On 09 December 2022, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) was generating a total of 438MW from its five power stations.
Hwange was generating 218MW, Kariba 200, Bulawayo 20, Harare 0MW and Munyati 0MW. | <a href="https://insiderzim.com/zesa-owed-14-billion/">The Insider</a>

"ZESA Owed $14 Billion By Consumers"

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s biographer, Eddie Cross, says he warned him about a power crisis.
Cross claims that in January this year, he told Mnangagwa in a private meeting if the power generation crisis was not addressed, Zimbabwe’s economic prospects would diminish.
Cross, a former member of the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), said later, the same day, Mnangagwa invited him back to his office.
He said this time, in the president’s office, were four ministers from energy, commerce, agriculture, and finance.
They were joined by the chairman of the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), the head of the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA), and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) boss, according to Cross.
Mnangagwa told them what had been said by Cross and asked what was being done to deal with the power crisis. Said Cross at a business seminar in Harare on Thursday:
<blockquote>
There was no plan. The president turned to Dr [Sidney] Gata [the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority boss] and asked him, ‘Sidney, what are you going to do about it’?
</blockquote>
He added Gata told the president ZESA had no money to fix this problem.
Cross said the current power crisis affecting the SADC region was caused by poor planning by post-colonial governments. He said:
<blockquote>
The electrical power crisis that has enveloped southern Africa has its roots in our post-liberation history. Before that, the utilities created by the states of southern Africa exhibited considerable foresight and planning. 
This was led by the power utility of South Africa which had visionary leadership at the time and like China in the past 50 years, turned their huge coal reserves into a cheap source of electrical energy.
They installed enough power generation capacity to feed their own markets and to supply the deficit in their neighbours,
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe is in the grip of a power crisis, with the country generating 500MW against a peak demand of 2 300MW per day.
As a result, Zimbabweans are getting an average of five hours a day of electricity, in most cases late at night or early in the morning. | <a href="https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/i-warned-zim-president-about-power-crisis-mnangagwas-biographer-claims-20221209">News24</a>

I Warned Mnangagwa About A Power Crisis But There Was No Plan, Says Cross

The total collapse of Kariba South Power Station’s Unit Number 4 following years of neglect, is partly to blame for the ongoing electricity crisis facing Zimbabwe, it has emerged.
While the official narrative is that Kariba South Power Station is currently generating significantly less power than it was producing a few months ago due to depleted water allocations, Unit 4 had been unofficially decommissioned.
NewZimbabwe.com reported a Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) source as saying that the now dysfunctional unit recently broke down beyond repair due to a number of factors. Said the source:
<blockquote>
Yes, the narrative that ZPC has utilised its 2022 water allocation and was ordered by ZRA to suspend power generation is correct.
It must not be taken to be the sole and isolated reason for plunging the nation into darkness.
The crisis we find ourselves in is a result of decades of poor planning and not heeding advice that saw key machinery going for years without major maintenance.
In instances where new spares were needed, engineers were forced to resort to having them poorly machined in South Africa.
Also, there was a massive exodus of qualified personnel to run these plants due to poor salaries, but ZPC did not heed advice to nip the flight of engineers and other key technical staff in the bud.
Resultantly, the power plant was now in the hands of incompetent and inexperienced employees, thereby compromising efficiency.
The end result was the inevitable total shutdown of Unit Number 4, which is now beyond repair.
We depleted our water allocation ahead of Zambia because our machines were not just obsolete and inefficient, but also neglected, full stop!
</blockquote>
The source further claimed that a forensic audit to establish what transpired in the lead-up to the unit’s total collapse is underway. | <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/kariba-water-levels-recede-but-power-stations-unit-4-total-collapse-has-worsened-already-dire-electricity-situation-official/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>

Kariba Power Station’s Unit 4 Broke Down Beyond Repair | Reports

ZESA Holdings says load shedding will ease considerably in the coming weeks with Zimbabwe soon to get up to 500MW of electricity from Zambia and Mozambique, while Hwange Power Station’s Unit 7 should be feeding 300MW into the national grid before month end.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/major-boost-to-electricity-situation-as-500mw-lined-up-from-zambia-mozambique/">The Herald</a>, ZESA Holdings executive chairman Sydney Gata said that the power utility expects to import 250MW from Zambia and another 250MW from Mozambique. Said Gata:
<blockquote>
As for the current load shedding, there is a relief that is coming. We ran around and apart from getting a bit more from Kariba, we will be getting a bit more from Zambia and Mozambique.
From Zambia, we are getting 100MW and they are looking for another 50MW for us there is also a member of the Intensive Energy Users Group who is also looking for another 100MW. So we may get as much as 250MW from Zambia.
Mozambique, I was there recently and we agreed that they will run around and increase from the 60MW they have been giving us, to 100MW immediately, and there is another 150MW which could be coming from Monday next week. So Mozambique should give us 250MW maximum.
</blockquote>
Gata said if all goes according to plan, Hwange’s Unit 7 is expected to start feeding electricity into the grid before month’s end. He said:
<blockquote>
The unit itself, in terms of operating, is actually ready to generate. However, there was a delay in the equipment required to connect it to the grid.
So far we expect that it could be around the 20th of this month. It could be later, it could be earlier, but thereabout and surely by Christmas, Unit 7 should be in service, barring unforeseen situations.
</blockquote>
Unit 7 has the capacity to generate 300MW, while Unit 8 will also add another 300MW to the main grid when completed in the first quarter of 2023.

ZESA Says Electricity Situation Will Improve Soon

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Gloria Magombo on Tuesday said the commissioning of two new units at Hwange Thermal Power Station will take time.
These two new units will add 600MW to the national grid, but it may not happen soon.
Addressing the media after a Cabinet meeting in Harare yesterday, Magombo said:
<blockquote>
Commissioning of a plant is not an event, it’s a process. When we talk about commissioning Hwange 7, each part has to be commissioned independently and certified as working 100%, before they move on to the next one.
If there’s something not working properly, they have to stop, look at it, and correct it. As they do that, they look at the critical path in terms of when they can put that unit on the grid.
</blockquote>
She said the other part of commissioning is the construction of transmission power lines including a 400km line from Hwange to Bulawayo’s Insukamini sub-station.
Watch the video below for more:
<div>
<video controls="controls" height="356" preload="metadata" width="640"><a href="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Gloria-Magombo.mp4">https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Gloria-Magombo.mp4</a></video></div>
Meanwhile, On Tuesday, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) was generating only 494MW from its five power stations located in Bulawayo, Munyati, Harare, Hwange and Kariba.
On the same day, Zimbabwe was importing 50MW from Mozambique’s HCB, up to 169MW from ESKOM, 100MW from Zambia’s ZESCO, and 10MW from EDM in Mozambique.
Magombo said the country has agreed with EDM to increase supplies to 50MW, while there is an agreement for a further 150MW from Mozambique. | <a href="https://newzwire.live/govts-latest-energy-update-there-is-bad-news-and-slightly-less-bad-news/">newZWire</a>

"Commissioning Of Hwange Units 7 & 8 Will Take Time"

The government has put measures in place to ensure that there is continued power generation at various power stations across the country.
This was said by the secretary for Energy and Power Development Gloria Magombo while speaking to the media after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. She said:
<blockquote>
Various measures were reported to Cabinet which have been put in place to ensure that there is a continued power generation and supply demand-gap which has increased due to the loss of the 300MW.
One of the first strategies is to ensure that the current units which are generating in Hwange, continue to be maintained and optimised to ensure that they produce an average of 400MW to ensure energy supply security.
Over and above in the long term, over US$400 million was secured to improve capacity in Bulawayo and Hwange.
At Hwange power station, the life-extension project has started with Unit 5 which has been out due to challenges with its turbines earlier this year.
We have also been ramping up production for the small thermals in Bulawayo, Harare and Munyati to push them to 45MW.
Coal supplies are currently being expedited and there is a train with over 30 wagons to power stations to ensure that there is more production.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing an electricity crisis caused by frequent breakdowns at Hwange Thermal Power Station and water shortages in Lake Kariba which supplies water for the Kariba Hydropower station.
Meanwhile, Magombo said the new 300MW Hwange Unit 7 is expected to be synchronised to the system by end of this month. She said:
<blockquote>
Unit 8 is also being developed in parallel and we expect that it will be commissioned during the first quarter of 2023.
</blockquote>
She said an additional coal plant at Hwange going through maintenance should be running soon, thus adding an additional 15 MW to the national grid.
According to the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) website, Zimbabwe was generating 494MW on Tuesday, 6 December 2022, against a peak demand of 2 200MW. | <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/measures-taken-to-ease-power-shortage/">The Herald</a>

We Have Taken Measures To Ease Power Shortage - Govt

Zimbabwe has no immediate funding to ease the current electricity crisis, Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda revealed on Friday.
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Soda admitted that the country is facing a power crisis. He said:
<blockquote>
The government is making an intervention. This is a crisis situation and we hope through that intervention, funding will be available to apply for the additional capacity that we are looking forward to getting from our neighbours.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe’s hopes of importing additional electricity from Zambia were dampened with the neighbouring country set to commence a six-hour daily load-shedding regime from 15 December.
On Friday, Zambia’s Energy minister Peter Kapala issued a ministerial statement in Parliament saying the country’s power utility, ZESCO, will implement a load management regime aimed at rationing power generation at the Kariba Complex to avoid a complete shutdown.
Meanwhile, Soda said Zimbabwe is importing a combined 250 megawatts (MW) from South Africa, Zambia, and Mozambique.
He said additional negotiations are ongoing, with 150MW expected from Mozambique.
The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), which manages the Zambezi River on behalf of Zimbabwe and Zambia cut ZESA’s power generation capacity to 300MW down from 600MW, while ZESCO will reduce generation to a maximum of 800 megawatts until further review.
Zhemu urged consumers to reduce their load by employing energy conservation and efficiency measures. He said:
<blockquote>
The ministry urges all consumers to reduce load by employing energy conservation and efficiency measures. Lights must be switched off in all offices at night and other measures like rightsizing of equipment, use of energy savers.
</blockquote>
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Kurai Matsheza said a failure to address the power crisis will be a huge blow to manufacturers during the busiest season of the year. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200004481/no-funding-for-power-imports-minister">NewsDay</a>

No Immediate Funding For Power Imports - Soda

Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda has said the Kariba Hydro Power Station will not shut down completely but will continue to generate about 300 megawatts (MW) daily pending a review of the water situation in Lake Kariba next year.
Addressing the media at his offices in Harare late Friday afternoon, Soda said that the government has come up with immediate measures to deal with the current power challenges. He said:
<blockquote>
ZPC had indeed exhausted its water allocation for the year 2022. However, Kariba Power Station will not shut down completely, rather it will continue to generate but at a reduced capacity of up to 300 megawatts daily average pending a review of the water situation at the dam in January 2023.
This means that the power station has the latitude to vary its capacity as long as it maintains the required average capacity.
… In the immediate term, Government has come up with measures through its utility ZESA and IPPs to increase imports from the region.
Bilaterally, ZESA is currently negotiating for additional imports from the current suppliers.
More power will also be secured through the SAPP (Southern African Power Pool) market.
ZPC will ramp up production at Hwange Power Station to average 400MW and small thermals are expected to produce a combined total of 45MW.
We will give support to all IPPs to enable them to produce at maximum capacity.
</blockquote>
Soda said Unit 7 is undergoing commissioning and will start feeding power into the grid later this month.
The commissioning of Unit 8 will follow within the first three months of next year, he said.
He said several companies will soon be feeding various amounts of power into the national grid. Said Soda:
<blockquote>
Through Statutory Instrument 38 of 2022, net-metering regulations were amended to exempt from licensing a capacity of up to 5MW.
This incentive is expected to result in increased internal generation as companies set up their solar generation systems.
Caledonia Mine (12 MW), Richo Solar (1,3MW) and Guruve (1,2MW) will soon be feeding into the national grid.
</blockquote>
| <a href="https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/new-kariba-power-station-is-not-shutting-down">The Sunday Mail</a>

Kariba Power Station Is Not Shutting Down Completely - Minister

The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) says it is engaging the Government to find solutions to the current electricity crisis which threatens industrial productivity.
Domestic and industrial consumers are now going for long hours without electricity outside the normal load-shedding periods.
Last week, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), which manages the Kariba Dam on behalf of Zimbabwe and Zambia, ordered the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), a subsidiary of ZESA Holdings, from generating electricity at Kariba Dam until at least January next year due to low water levels.
CZI president Kurai Matsheza said local industry was caught “flat-footed,” by the move by ZRA to order the cessation of power generation at Kariba South Power Station. He said:
<blockquote>
It’s a situation we are engaging the authorities on, just to find a common way of coming out of this situation, but unfortunately, there are no quick answers, so we just have to keep negotiating.
We also encourage the Government to speed up whatever accommodation we can have with the Zambian authorities, for example, to be allowed to use their portion of the water in the Zambezi to continue running on our side, or alternatively, they can sell to us the electricity they would have generated.
</blockquote>
The Minister of Energy and Power Development, Zhemu Soda, is expected to give a detailed statement on the issue of Zimbabwe’s energy and power supply soon, a Cabinet spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a new unit at the Hwange Power Station was successfully turned on for the first time last week, raising hopes that the power challenges will soon be alleviated.
The unit is expected to start supplying 300 megawatts to the national grid before the end of this year. | <a href="https://newziana.co.zw/2022/11/30/local-industry-engaging-govt-on-power-challenges/">New Ziana</a>

Captains Of Industry Engaging Govt On Power Challenges

Zimbabwe is now pinning hopes of improved electricity generation on the commissioning of unit 7 at the Hwange Power Station later this year as the water at the Kariba hydroelectric plant has fallen to a critically low level while existing generators at Hwange frequently break down.
According to ZESA Holdings’ internal statistics, the dam level of usable live water for generating power had dropped to 6.6 percent as of Thursday, 17 November.
Meanwhile, three generators at Hwange were shut down on Wednesday because of boiler tube leaks and the plant was running on two units, producing 231 megawatts to the plant’s rated capacity of 920 MW.
At Kariba, three units are down for various maintenance works and the plant was producing 475 MW.
All of the country’s small power units — Harare, Munyati and Bulawayo, were shut down due to coal shortages.
Independent power producers are supplying 29 MW to the grid and 290 MW are being imported from Zambia, South Africa, and Mozambique, but the country has a deficit of 612 MW.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.businessweekly.co.zw/zim-pins-hope-on-hwange-as-lake-kariba-drains/">Business Weekly</a> in an interview, Power and Energy Development Minister Zhemu Soda said the commissioning of unit 7 at Hwange is expected to feed 300 MW. Said Soda:
<blockquote>
Our hope now lies in unit seven. (Exiting) units at Hwange are coming out anytime and it’s no longer a surprise for us because the equipment has become too obsolete and we can’t rely on them.
</blockquote>
He said the commercial production may begin later this month or early December.
Unit 8, for an additional 300MW, is expected to come online during the first quarter of next year. Added:
<blockquote>
Although we are concerned about the water level at Kariba, Zambezi River Authority (which manages the lake) has advised us that we may continue generating and are also expecting early inflows to the lake due to early rain.
</blockquote>

Govts Pins Hope On Hwange Unit 7, As Kariba Depletes

Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) vice president Tendai Biti has blamed the ZANU PF-led government for the country’s prolonged electricity challenges saying little has been done to increase electricity generation since the 1980s.
Posting on Twitter, Biti also said that the expansion of the Hwange thermal power station was an unnecessary and costly project and the country should have used the funds to harness clean sources of energy. He wrote:
<blockquote>
1)The energy situation in Zimbabwe is completely out of hand. Blackouts are killing industry, and farming &amp; negatively affecting working families. The power crises is a leadership issue. #ZANU knew Hwange Units had to be decommissioned in the 80s but did nothing on generation.
2)Of Zim s installed capacity of 2000MW from Hwange &amp; Kariba less than 700 MW are being generated at any given time. It is therefore important to attend to fresh power projects that will generate at least 4000 MW. Batoka remains the most important long-term project.
3)Hwange 7&amp;8 currently under construction with Chinese funds is simply too small &amp; overpriced. Those resources should have been invested in alternative green fuel including solar plants&amp; hydro stations in Manicaland. Zambia has done well without the pursuit of damaging fossil energy.
4)Power transmission remains the second challenge Zim’s grid is archaic &amp; needs modernization. Besides, it has limited reach. That only 30% of citizens have access to electricity 43 years after independence is a shame. Energy is a human right &amp; a development enabler.
5) A program of rural electrification is therefore as imperative as it is long overdue. But any offer or loan from anyone to assist in this direction while welcome must surely be approved by Parliament in terms of s327 of the Constitution. Lastly, Zim must deal with Demand Side issues.
6) There is a culture of energy waste, of not paying bills, or use of energy consuming gadgets.#ZANU elites do not pay energy bills on their farms &amp; #ZESA is owed billions. Prepaid meters are a must. Solar panels &amp; solar geysers should be a must for households.
7) Demand side management should also look at how #ZESA is run A few years ago it was unbundled but there is no evidence that unbundling was effective. A study must therefore be carried out to determine whether there is a case for rebundling. What is the best practice, and what works better?
8) Demand-side management must also look at the pricing model of energy. It is not sustainable that power imported at 13cents a KW is sold at 3cents a KW. But any pricing model must involve the consumer in a transparent process that avoids arbitrage or undercutting the institution.
9) Lastly Zim must deal with corruption The Dema Power project being an example The 2018 #ZESA forensic audit exposed billions that were lost through corruption. Scammers &amp; reptiles have made millions through various schemes. The energy sector including fuel is the most corrupt in Zim.
10) When everything else is said &amp; done it is clear that the energy sector like Zim itself needs a new consensus. The fact is problems are never solved by those that created them. In short, we need new leaders.
</blockquote>

Tendai Biti Says Electricity Blackouts Reflect Leadership Crisis | Full Thread

Zimbabwe requires electricity imports of between 200 megawatts (MW) and 450MW daily from regional utilities to meet its power deficit.
This was said by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Gloria Magombo. She said:
<blockquote>
Zimbabwe imports electricity from regional utilities (Eskom of South Africa, HCB of Mozambique and ZESCO of Zambia) to augment its internal generation capacity.
With a maximum demand of between 1700MW to 1850MW against an internal generation capacity of 1400MW, the country imports between 200MW and 450MW to meet this deficit.
The imports are, however, on a firm and non-firm basis and also depend on the level of internal systems demand and status/availability of generation units, especially at Hwange Power Station.
</blockquote>
The electricity challenges currently bedeviling the country were a result of many factors, among them delayed commissioning of new generation capacity, especially at Hwange, failure to maintain and rehabilitate existing infrastructure, and failure to attract significant investments through the private sector, according to Magombo.
She said during off-peak periods when demand is low, some units at Kariba Power Station (peaking power plant) are shut down and at that time no imports will be required.
Magombo urged local businesses to capitalise on the power deficit to invest in power projects. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/business/article/200003147/zim-needs-450-megawatts-of-imports-to-fill-energy-gap-magombo">NewsDay</a>

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