The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has announced the end of load-shedding, saying the country is now able to produce enough electricity from its power plants with minimal imports to meet demand by domestic and industrial consumers.
ZESA says the improved power generation capacity has drastically reduced load-shedding across the country and excited the productive sector, which is now able to plan operational schedules and guarantee smooth industry outcomes.
The power utility says the successful implementation and completion of Hwange Thermal Power Station Units 7 and 8 expansion projects, coupled with the establishment of solar parks by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and improved output from Kariba Hydro-Power Station, has recently pushed total domestic generation capacity above 1,500MW, which is a significant improvement as compared to less than 600MW in March this year.
In a recent interview in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Energy Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) acting managing director, Engineer Howard Choga, said given the milestone improvement in power generation and supply, there is no need for a load-shedding schedule. The Chronicle cites him as saying:
You will notice that in the past two to three weeks, we have not been shedding at all, therefore, under those circumstances, there will be no need to have a load-shedding schedule.
Our projection is that we are not going to be shedding going forward, at least in the medium term. If we are not shedding it means we are getting enough for the consumers.
At the moment we are getting 100 megawatts from South Africa, and from Mozambique, we have two sources that is Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB) of Mozambique, which is giving us 50MW and EDM 10MW. That’s enough for the demand in the country.
ZESA’s recent announcement has come as a relief to the business community, which had opted for expensive diesel generators or incurred long hours of no production due to load-shedding. The improved power situation is expected to guarantee enhanced production and supply of goods, and is a significant departure from the acute power shortages experienced in the past years, which have crippled the economy.
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