Zim power woes deepen as Mozambique threatens cut off
By Alex Bell
06 February 2012
Mozambique has threatened to cut off its power supplies to Zimbabwe, over
the country’s multimillion dollar debt to its neighbour, which could leave
Zimbabwe facing even more power problems.
Mozambique’s Hydro Cahora Basa power plant supplies Zimbabwe with about 500
megawatts to cover shortfalls, with the national Zimbabwe Electricity Supply
Authority (ZESA) battling to generate the growing demand of between 1900 and
2200 megawatts of power. ZESA is said to be generating only up to 1200
megawatts currently and has been importing power from neighbouring
Mozambique and from the DRC to cover the shortfall.
But the national power supplier has been unable to pay its debts and it has
since been reported that Mozambique was threatening to cut off its supplies.
ZESA spokesman Fullard Gwasira, who was quoted by CAJ news, said demand for
power was increasing and they were in the process of finding ways of
boosting power generation.
“ZESA Holdings, through its subsidiary companies the Zimbabwe Power Company
and the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company, are
pursuing various projects and measures to boost the electricity supply
situation in Zimbabwe to achieve security of power supply,” he said.
The country has been battling intermittent power supply for years, with ZESA
being just one of many national services that have all but collapsed after
years of mismanagement under the Mugabe regime.