The Sunday Mail
Zimbabwe should brace for increased electricity cuts amid revelations its traditional energy suppliers — Zambia and South Africa — have stopped providing power due to high demand in their respective countries.
The electricity situation has been further compounded by constant breakdown of power generating machines at Kariba Hydro Power Station as well as Hwange and Harare Thermal Power Stations resulting in some parts of the country experiencing load shedding for up to 16 hours a day.
Zimbabwe requires 2 200 megawatts (million watts) at any given time during peak periods — 6am to 9am and 5pm to 9pm — but national electricity generation is currently at an average 1 168 megawatts.
The failure to import electricity from Zambia Electricity Supply Cooperation (ZESCO) and eskom of South Africa which can both provide up to 500 megawatts has seen the country import a minimum 50 megawatts or 50 million watts from Mozambique’s Hydro Cabora Bassa.
Zesa spokesperson, Mr Fullard Gwasira said high power demand in the region had led to little surplus.
“ZESA Holdings has a firm Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) of 50 megawatts with Hydro Cabora Bassa of Mozambique with a possibility of getting up to 200 megawatts, subject to availability at that source and at the moment we are not importing power from ZESCO and eskom,” Gwasira said.
“Zimbabwe has not stopped importing power from any of the power utilities in the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP), but increasing demand in the region has ensured that there is very little power surplus.
“This is especially so because we share the same climate and thus experience same seasonal consumption patterns.
“The daily morning and evening peak periods are also mirrored in the region,” he added.
Mr Gwasira said the power utility company was embarking on alternative energy projects.
