Unscheduled power cuts that had become the norm over the past few weeks are expected to worsen after the country’s power utility experienced challenges at one of its key power stations.
ZESA Holdings on Tuesday advised its customers countrywide that there is limited power supply in the national grid due to a technical fault at its ageing Hwange Power Station.
The fault resulted in the loss of 440 MW, about half of the power plant’s generation capacity. ZESA said in a statement:
ZESA Holdings would like to advise its valued customers countrywide that there is limited power supply in the national grid due to a technical fault at Hwange Power Station.
The technical fault resulted in the loss of 440 MW at Hwange Power Station.
Restoration of service is underway, with two units having been brought back.
Customers are advised to use the available power sparingly.
ZESA has for years been unable to meet domestic power demand and has been augmenting electricity availability through imports from South Africa and Mozambique.