Power Cuts are looming in Zimbabwe after the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) reduced water allocation for power generation at Kariba hydropower station by 25% to 30 billion cubic metres (BCM).
This comes after Lake Kariba received less than expected inflows from the upper Zambezi River catchment.
The 30BCM will be shared equally by ZESA and Zambia’s power utility ZESCO.
Munyaradzi Munodawafa, the CEO of ZRA, said flows upstream of the Zambezi River have started falling, affecting inflows into the Kariba Dam. He said:
With the 2022/23 rainfall season having effectively ended in April, the Kariba catchment is no longer experiencing any rainfall activities.
As per normal trend following the end of a rainfall season, flows of the Zambezi River and its tributaries are now receding and this downward trend is expected to continue until the commencement of the next rainfall season (2023/24 rainfall season).
In April this year, Munodawafa told Business Times that ZRA would get tougher with ZESA and ZESCO in July to ensure that they do not utilise more than their water allocations. He said:
… We will not be that strict until the end of the winter agriculture season in July.
After July, we will be tough with ZESA and ZESCO. Next year, it’s likely to be worse.
Hwange’s units 7 and 8 are expected to generate a combined 600MW, with Government officials saying the coal-fired power plant will be able to handle the base load while Kariba kicks in during peak times.
Units 1-6 at Hwange Power Station are no longer reliable as they almost always break down due to old age and poor maintenance.
More: Pindula News