Zimbabwe has over the past three years experienced the worst power crisis in years as generation continues to fluctuate around 500MW.
The southern African country has one hydropower plant and four coal-fired generators that have a total combined capacity of 2 240 megawatts (MW).
An update by the Zimbabwe Power Company on 05 December 2022 suggests that Zimbabwe generated a total of 501MW on that day. Pindula News presents the breakdown below:
Munyati (Thermal Power Station): 0MW
Bulawayo: 0MW
Harare: 0MW
Kariba: 200MW
Hwange 301MW
Total: 501MW
On 06 December 2022, Zimbabwe generated a total of 494MW.
On 07 December 2022 Zimbabwe generated a combined 515MW.
Munyati (Thermal Power Station): 0MW
Bulawayo: 20MW
Harare: 0MW
Kariba: 200MW
Hwange 295MW
Total: 515MW
On 08 December 2022, Zimbabwe generated a combined 506MW.
Munyati (Thermal Power Station): 0MW
Bulawayo: 10MW
Harare: 0MW
Kariba: 200MW
Hwange 296MW
Total: 506MW
On 09 December 2022, Zimbabwe generated a combined 438MW
Munyati (Thermal Power Station): 0MW
Bulawayo: 20MW
Harare: 0MW
Kariba: 200MW
Hwange 218MW
Total: 438MW
Zimbabwe has a peak demand of 2 200 MW.
ZESA, the local power utility, is failing to pay coal producers on time and they are now “heavily incapacitated” and they can no longer have working capital.
ZESA’s four thermal power stations, Hwange, Harare, Munyati, and Bulawayo are not operating at full capacity due to coal shortages.
Power Outlook:
Hwange Unit 7 is expected to come online in the next few weeks, according to official timelines, but concerns have been raised over the adequate availability of coal. Contracts to supply coal for Unit 7 were awarded only to Turbo mine, linked to businessman Billy Rautenbach and Hwange Colliery Company Ltd.
Unit 8 is also being developed in parallel and is expected that it will be commissioned during the first quarter of 2023.
An additional coal plant at Hwange is said to be going through maintenance and should be running soon, thus adding an additional 15 MW to the national grid.
Authorities also say efforts are underway to ramp up production for the small thermals in Bulawayo, Harare and Munyati to push them to 45MW.
There are separate solar projects at Blanket Mine, Caledonia, Gwanda (which was contracted to Wicknell Chivayo) and another in Guruve.
Net metering which allows Zesa customers with their own power generation, usually solar, to both sell and buy power is also said to be an option being considered.
Medium and long term: Government says it intends to bring in the competitive procurement of 500MW of solar whose feasibility study has since been completed and an announcement will be made during the first quarter of 2023.
Zimbabwe imports a combined total of 540 MW.
The plans stated so far will still leave Zimbabwe with a power deficit.