Chinhoyi MP Leslie Mhangwa (CCC) has accused politicians of lying about the country’s power crisis when they claim that the situation has vastly improved.
Mhangwa, a qualified electrical engineer, is the chairman of the parliamentary portfolio committee on energy and power development.
Speaking during an ongoing 2024 pre-budget seminar in Harare, Mhangwa said that politicians were lying when they continuously told citizens that the commissioning of Hwange Units 7 and 8 earlier this year would bring the power crisis to an end. ZimLive.com quoted Mhangwa as saying:
There is a misconception partly because of us politicians that Zimbabwe is energy secure.
We give the impression that we are sorted; the country is out of the electricity quagmire but the situation on the ground will not paint the same picture.
Units Hwange 7 and 8 units were commissioned earlier this year and have a combined generation capacity of 600MW.
However, Hwange units 1 to 6 are constantly breaking down because the power station now is too old. Added Mhangwa:
If Hwange 1 to 6 is working, Kariba, small thermals and independent power producers that we have licenced, we should get to 3,000MW against a peak demand of 1 900MW.
But the reality on the ground is that on a normal day, Hwange 1 to 6 gives us 50 percent because of age, units 7 and 8 can give us 680MW but every now and then, we need to do routine maintenance.
He said the ministry placed a bid for ZWL$192 billion in the 2024 budget but was given a cap of ZWL$68 billion by the Treasury.
Speaking at the same event, secretary for Energy and Power Development Gloria Magombo said the Government is considering upgrading Hwange Thermal Power Station’s old units, that is, units 1 to 6. She said:
The repowering of Hwange 1 to 6 will unlock an additional 350MW which is a low-hanging fruit and can be completed within two years.
We also see the coming in of Independent Power Producers unlocking an additional 1 000MW.
More: Pindula News