The Sunday Mail
As a stop-gap measure to stabilise the electricity deficit in the country, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) is set to embark on two power station extension projects that will increase electricity generation and eventually reduce the supply and demand gap.
The Kariba South Hydro Power Station extension project, which was recently commissioned by President Mugabe, will see units seven & eight contributing 300MW to the national electricity grid; while Hwange seven and eight units will contribute 600MW by 2018.
There has been a marked increase in power outages in recent months, and The Sunday Mail Extra sought an explanation from Zesa, the electricity utility, on what was going on.
Mr Fullard Gwasira, the Zesa spokesman, said two unforeseen power failures at Hwange Thermal Power Station had severely affected operations.
“The country recently witnessed a massive increase in load-shedding over the past two months, which was a result of a reduction in imports from Hydro Cabbora Bassa (HCB) of Mozambique from an average of 350 mega watts that it was acquiring in winter to 50MW due to an increase in demand.
“Zesa has a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with HCB where there is a guaranteed import supply of 50MW and a further 50MW on condition of availability at source. That power supply challenge was coupled with two unplanned power outages, wherein Hwange Thermal Power Station lost generation on 11th September due to power systems disturbances, that emanated from the region and the situation was further compounded by a power transformer that got burnt on the 12th of September at Hwange,” he said.
Mr Gwasira said at Kariba South Hydro Power Station, a unit of 120MW was put out on statutory maintenance, a situation that also extended the duration of load-shedding.
Hwange Power Station is said to have recovered from the aforementioned challenges and the grid has somewhat stabilised.
However, Mr Gwasira said not all power outages were a result of load-shedding as in some cases, faults would have caused unplanned power cuts – especially during the rainy season.
“It is also important to note that load shedding is a programme that is applied when there is depressed generation culminating in a mismatch between supply and demand of electricity.
“Load management is then applied to ensure that scarce electricity obtaining at that time is equitably distributed to consumers, thus this programme is inevitable.
“Load-shedding is applied fairly and not on a selective basis as the matrix of electricity generation, transmission and distribution makes it impossible to play favouritism to any section of consumers,” he explained.
“It is also important to note that there are strategic areas like hospitals, fire stations, water pumping stations, sewer installations, security establishments, and central business districts that are exempted from load shedding.
“In some cases, there are sections of domestic consumers that would be connected to the same electricity grid with those strategic sites and they get exempted from load shedding also and that must not be construed as favouritism,” said Mr Gwasira.
The country requires an average of 1 650MW in summer and an average of 1 950MW in winter at any given time for domestic, mining, industrial and farming use.
However, some of Zesa’s generated electricity is exported to neighbouring countries as the matrix of the energy business is such that electricity cannot be stored and should be used as it is produced.
Kariba South Hydro Power Station generates 750MW while Hwange Thermal Power Station averages 500MW. Smaller thermal stations are also contributing to the national grid. Harare Power station generates 20MW, Munyati 18MW and Bulawayo 26MW. Overall, around 1 269 MW is being generated by Zesa’s internal electricity generating assets and that power base is being augmented by imports of 50MW from HCB of Mozambique.
Mr Gwasira said plans were afoot to increase Zesa’s imports to 100MW from 2015 in a bid to enhance the security of electricity supply nationwide.
“The two power extension projects are expected to considerably improve on security of electricity supply. This comes as the power utility has embarked on a programme of installing prepaid electricity meters to empower customers to manage their consumption.
“Over 518 000 prepaid electricity meters against a target 544 000 have already been installed. It is expected that by end of December 2014, the outstanding 30 000 prepaid meters would have been installed in all domestic premises and small institutions countrywide.
“There are further plans to install 300 000 smart prepaid meters, especially in business premises that are supplied by transformers with 100kVa and above and the approach would be on a case by case basis to create a win-win situation with customers.
“The installation of prepaid electricity meters has also resulted in customers saving electricity since there is now a direct relationship between energy conservation and saving money,” he said.
