Energy and Power Development Minister, Samuel Undenge

THE Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) has disregarded an order by the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), which administers the Zambezi River and the use of the Kariba Dam on behalf of the governments of Zimbabwe and Zambia, to stick to recommended power generation limits.
The dam regulator ordered ZPC to generate electricity not exceeding 275 megawatts (MW) at Kariba South Power Station, which has an installed capacity of 750MW, due to diminishing water levels in the lake.
But electricity generation statistics for Kariba South Hydroelectric Power Station, which the Financial Gazette’s Companies & Markets (C&M) has been observing over the last few weeks, show that the power plant has been generating an average of 400MW.
The translates to an over-use of the water resource, which is likely to reduce the water levels in Lake Kariba to critical levels, a situation that could force ZRA to close the Kariba South Hydro power plant.
If water is depleted, the danger is that the dam will require three or more good rainy seasons to get back to normal supplies of water to allow the power plant to generate electricity, an outcome that could drive the economy to collapse.
Kariba Dam’s water level should be maintained at 475, 50 metres above sea level to sustain its socio-economic mandate for the two southern African countries.
Currently, water levels at the dam are at around 477 metres, a situation described by Zambia’s Energy Minister, Dora Siliva, as “extremely dangerous”.
C&M) has established that ZPC, a power generation subsidiary of ZESA Holdings, and its Zambian counterpart, ZESCO, have continued over-using the water for electricity generation.
Speaking exclusively to C&M last week, Energy and Power Development Minister, Samuel Undenge, who is also ZRA chairman, said: “As chairman of ZRA, we have been urging utilities to adhere to the allocation of water in terms of generation.”
“We may have one or two cases where a country tries to exceed the limit but we immediately come in and tell them to adhere to their allocation.
“I think where you find ZPC producing more electricity, they will be using water they would have saved. During the off peak period, ZESA gets imports from South Africa and switch off all the units at Kariba. So, the next day, they (ZPC) then use that water they would have saved to generate power.
“ZRA constantly monitors the use of water at the dam and they also constantly ensure that if any country exceeds its allocation then they go and warn that country to adhere to the allocated limit.”
Zambia, which also draws water from the Kariba Dam, has been overusing the water.
Zambia’s Energy Minister, has said about the current circumstances: “The situation is dire, the levels of Kariba are at extremely dangerous levels.”
Kariba South Power Station has been the biggest generator of electricity and has been producing relatively cheaper and reliable electricity for Zimbabwe.
The power station has been supplying about 60 percent of Zimbabwe’s electricity at an average cost of US$0,02 per kilowatt hour (kw/h) while 40 percent of electricity has been generated from four thermal power stations at Hwange, Harare, Munyati and Bulawayo at an average cost of between US$0,08 and US$0,16 per kw/h.
The high costs are due to inefficiencies in these thermal power stations, associated with ageing equipment, a situation which makes the domestic production of electricity relatively expensive compared to regional counterparts.
Hwange Power Station has been generating about 500MW on average while Munyati Power Station has been producing an average of about 25MW.
The situation at Kariba Dam has forced both Zimbabwe and Zambia to prepare for the total shut down of the hydro power plants at Kariba Dam.
The Zimbabwe government, through ZESA, will set up a 200MW emergency power plant at Dema sub-station in Seke Communal lands powered by diesel generators.
ZESA has also intensified power imports from South Africa’s power utility, Eskom. Zimbabwe is importing 300MW from Eskom at a cost of US$0,13 per kilowatt hour.
The Zambian government, which has heavily relied on hydro power, is setting up emergency thermal power plants to feed 250MW to the national grid by March this year and a 200MW power ship to be docked off the cost of neighbouring Mozambique.
It is also understood that Zambia is setting up a 300MW coal power station to start operating in June this year.
[email protected]