The Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) has warned the decommissioning of the Bulawayo thermal power station will result in job losses in the city.
This comes after the Government announced plans to decommission the 77-year-old power station last year, saying it is now too old.
According to a position paper titled “Socio-economic implications of the decommissioning of the Bulawayo thermal power station on residents”, prepared by Wayne Malinga, an academic and development practitioner, BPRA said jobs will be lost and the family set-up will be negatively affected. It reads in part:
Job losses are going to be experienced by both the residents of Bulawayo and also employees of ZESA working at the thermal power station.
For the residents, those working in industries and any other businesses highly dependent on electricity for operations will be adversely affected.
Meanwhile, the ZESA employees will suffer retrenchment and, in some instances, get transfers with their families experiencing moves to new areas or workstations.
The family setup is going to be affected given that children would have to start afresh in terms of seeking admission to new schools amongst a few things.
Financially, there is no money to run the plants not only in Bulawayo but across the country and over 600 employees are likely to lose their jobs or get transferred.
At the present moment, vacancies that emerge within the power utility are given to outsiders instead of employees working in these power plants.
The paper also said the decommissioning of the plant will result in power outages, a loss of a cultural or historical landmark, further de-industrialisation, withdrawal and failure to attract investors, and disturbed water supplies, among others.
The paper said the Government should refurbish, instead of dismantling the power plant.
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