Power shortages to worsen: ZESA
11/08/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has warned that power
supply interruptions will increase over the next three months due to
maintenance work at Hwange thermal power station.
The power station generates about 500MW but maintenance work to increase
capacity would temporarily result in the loss of 160MW over the next three
months, ZESA spokesman Fullard Gwasira.
“Zesa Holdings would like to advise all its customers countrywide that
Hwange Power Station will be undergoing its scheduled mandatory statutory
maintenance to ensure the continued operational efficiency of that
generating asset,” Gwasira said.
“The scheduled maintenance will commence on Saturday 11 August 2012
(yesterday) and be completed in November 2012. During this period, a total
of 160 MW will be lost to the national grid.”
Gwasira said the ZESA was working to step up imports from the region to
mitigate the supply interruptions.
Zimbabwe needs about 2,200 megawatts of electricity at peak consumption but
generates just below 1,300 megawatts, while efforts to plug the gap with
imports are often undermined by non-payment for supplies.
Supplies are currently being rationed between both commercial and domestic
users.
Although the government is planning various projects to step up power
generation a senior official recently warned that the shortages would likely
continue for another ten years.
“By 2022 that’s when we will be able to generate enough power for domestic
and industrial power. (But) most of our woes in terms of blackouts will end
in 2015,” Patson Mbiriri the permanent secretary for the energy minister
told a recent industry conference.
Legislators recently expressed concern over the impact of power supplies
shortages on the country’s struggling economy.
“We have failed to come up with indicators just to say there will be
something in two years and in two years this country will have enough
energy. Yet Cabinet meets every week, Ministers are in their offices every
day and one wonders what is really happening,” said Goromonzi North MP Paddy
Zhanda.
“How do we turn around the economy with energy shortages? Mining,
agriculture . . . all need energy. We are dealing with an economy that
hinges its turnaround on agriculture and mining all need energy yet this was
not addressed.”