The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has increased water allocation for electricity generation in Zimbabwe and Zambia following improved water inflows into Kariba Dam.
This means Kariba Hydro Power Station is set to increase power generation output to ease power cuts in the two countries.
In a recent statement, ZRA chief executive officer Engineer Munyaradzi Munodawafa said water levels at Kariba Hydro Power Station was increased by four billion cubic meters (4BCM), that is, from 23BCM to 27BCM after a review of the hydrological outlook.
The additional water allocation would be shared equally between the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (Zesco). Said Munodawafa:
Following a review of hydrological outlook at Kariba undertaken at the end of the second quarter of 2020, the Authority has since increased the water allocation for power generation operations at Kariba by Four Billion Cubic Meters (4BCM).
As per agreed operational framework for Kariba, the additional water allocation will be shared equally between ZESCO Limited and Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) for their respective power generation operations at Kariba. This is an upward revision of the combined water allocation for the year 2020 from 23BCM to 27 BCM.
Power generation at Zimbabwe’s only reliable power plant fell significantly in 2019 due to prolonged drought in the Southern African region.
The drought resulted in negligible water inflows into Lake Kariba resulting in the near-closure of the power plant as the live water fell to the lowest levels in decades.
For the full statement by the Zambezi River Authority, CLICK Here