ZERA Chairperson Speaks On Load Shedding
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) says the ongoing power cuts in the country are due to several factors including low water levels at Kariba Dam.
Speaking to ZTN Prime, ZERA Board Chairperson David Madzikanda revealed that the power utility ZESA Holdings has no money to import electricity from neighbouring countries.
This is despite the recent increase in power tariffs by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a ZESA subsidiary, which however is not cost-reflective.
Madzikanda also said the small power stations situated in Harare, Bulawayo, and Munyati are not generating any power at all and are on the verge of being shut down. He said:
Generation at Kariba is very much depleted largely because of water inflows. Secondly, we have not been able to import as much as we should be, because if we were importing, we would be filling in the gap.
The other reason is that the old power stations which are which are stations in Harare, Bulawayo and Munyati are currently not running. We are almost at the stage of shutting them down.
The other problem has obviously been to do with the fact that Unit 7 (at Hwange Power Station). For those reasons, we have shortages of power.
Meanwhile, Energy and Power Development Minister Edgar Moyo said an additional 120 megawatts will be added to the grid this coming week and in addition to the return of Hwange’s Unit 7, load shedding is expected to ease. Said Moyo:
One of the units carrying about 80MW came through, another one will be coming through in a day or two’s time with 120MW.
Next week, on the 27th or 28th (of November), our Unit 7, which is carrying about 305MW will also be coming on board. That should ease our load-shedding schedule.
Currently, Zimbabwe requires 1 850MW but on Friday, 24 November 2023, the country was generating 1 285MW, with 41MW coming from IPPs, while Kariba and Hwange were producing 570MW and 674MW, respectively.
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