Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority Says No End to Blackouts in Sight
15 November 2011
Zesa increased tariffs by 31 percent in September and recent reports said it
was planning another increase of 47 percent on top of that
Jonga Kandemiiri
The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority warned this week that consumers
and businesses should must brace for more load-shedding over the next three
to four years as it faces major challenges including massive financial debt
and vandalism.
Appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, Zesa Chief Executive
Officer Josh Chifamba said Monday that vandalism alone is costing the
utility around $800,000 a month while increased scarcity of power in the
region is contributing to load-shedding.
Zesa increased tariffs by 31 percent in September and recent reports said it
was planning another increase of 47 percent on top of that. Projects to
bolster production at Kariba and Hwange won’t deliver results until 2015 and
2016, respectively.
The Kariba plant is hydro-electric. Hwange is coal-fired.
Energy Committee Chairman Simbaneuta Mudarikwa of ZANU-PF told reporter
Jonga Kandemiiri that the only way Zesa could properly serve the country
would be if the government assumed its debts.