GOVERNMENT is seized with engagements to secure additional 500MW of electricity and more from regional producers to ease the load shedding burden on businesses and household consumers, Energy and Power Development Minister, Zhemu Soda, has said.
Zimbabwe and the region are facing acute power shortages, which have seen consumers going for long hours, outside the normal load-shedding periods, without electricity.
In a ministerial statement on the energy situation to Parliament, Minister Soda outlined elaborate short-term plans to ease the power situation.
He said the sudden strain on power supplies were exacerbated by the reduced power production from Kariba Power Station.
In response, he said Government has quickly adopted swift mitigatory measures, which include boosting internal generation capacity, harnessing independent power projects and scaling up imports to bridge the supply deficit.
“We intend to increase by an additional 500MW, which we are targeting to get from Mozambique and from the Southern African Power Pool. Discussions are currently underway for an additional capacity of 150MW from Mozambique, particularly from EDM power utility,” said Minister Soda.
“We will also get another 50MW from the participation of Zesa at the Southern Africa Power Pool Electricity Market to give us an additional 200MW over and above the 300MW, which we are currently importing.”
He said domestic generation capacity was currently hovering around 800MW with Hwange Thermal Station contributing about 400MW, Kariba at about 300MW and small thermals combined 30MW.
“Independent power producers are contributing a total of 56MW to make up for the 800MW, which we are generating internally,” said the minister.
To augment internal production, he said Zimbabwe was getting some imports of electricity from Eskom of South Africa, which is supplying 100MW, with another 100MW from utilities in Mozambique.
On the other hand, Zesco of Zambia has an agreement with Zesa for the supply of 100MW and in total, which leaves Zimbabwe getting an average of 300MW as power imports.
As part of load reduction measures, Minister Soda said intensive power users should enhance their efficiencies in their operations while domestic customers are encouraged to implement energy conservation measures.
Zimbabwe has been facing electricity supply challenges, attributed to depressed generation at thermal power stations, low electricity production at the Kariba Power Station due to low water levels and vandalism of distribution infrastructure.
However, the country has the potential to generate 150MW from small hydros in the Eastern Highlands, but only 40MW are being fed into the grid from the small hydros.
Investment in the independent non-Zesa station has been slow on account of viability issues, with some of them saying the present tariff is not cost reflective.
Others want Government guarantees to allow them to source for funds. – The Chronicle
