Zesa exports 150MW of power to Namibia
JAIROS SAUNYAMA –
Zesa Holdings will for the next 10 months be exporting power to Namibia as part of settling the $40m debt acquired from NamPower in 2009.
Zesa Holdings chief executive Josh Chifamba told the parliamentary portfolio committee on Mines and Energy chaired by Gutu Central legislator Lovemore Matuke 0n Monday that Zesa is exporting 150MW of electricity to Namibia as a form of payment.
“We got in 2009 a total of $40m from the Namibian power company NamPower. That money has since been paid wholly but it had another term to it, there was a requirement that we should supply 150MW of power over the subsistence of the loan,” he said.
The country is currently unable to generate enough power to meet demand, which peaks at around 2 200MW against generation capacity of around 1 400MW.
Speaking on how Zesa is exporting power at night, the power utility boss said the issue was reported negatively by the media.
“On the issue of power exports at night, I think it was portrayed negatively by some quarters of the press but actually there is nothing negative about it.
“The issue is that demand comes down at night, normally demand peaks in the morning and evening, so we can make some opportunity sales. The problem with power is that you cannot store it,” he added.
Zimbabwe is facing an acute energy deficit, which has prompted Zesa to introduce load shedding.
Zesa Holdings is in the process of expanding Kariba South power plant in an effort to increase power generation by at least 300 MW and Hwange Thermal Power Station so that it produces 600 MW.
The expansion at the two power plants will see Zimbabwe producing about 2500 MW against a peak demand of 2200 MW.