The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), has begun the process of decommissioning three small thermal power plants due to rising operational costs.
The three power plants are located in Harare, Bulawayo and Munyati, respectively.
Energy and Power Development Minister Edgar Moyo told The Herald that the ageing power plants are now too expensive to run. He said:
The thermal power plants with a combined capacity of 240 megawatts (MW) ceased generating electricity between July and September 2023.
The decommissioning decision was made in October last year, and the process is now underway.
At an average age of 75 years, the thermal plants significantly exceed their intended lifespan of 25 years, and operating them has become financially unsustainable.
The running cost of Bulawayo station, for example, had ballooned to roughly 46 US cents per kilowatt-hour, making its continued operation unviable.
A former ZESA engineer said the decommissioning of the power plants is an important step towards the generation of more sustainable and cost-effective energy in the country. Said the engineer:
While the timing may seem inopportune given the existing power shortages, decommissioning these ageing, inefficient plants is a crucial step towards a more sustainable and cost-effective energy future for Zimbabwe.
An analysis of the power plant’s cost per kilowatt per person reveals its inefficiency, highlighting the rationale behind its decommissioning.
According to daily power generation statistics released by the Zimbabwe Power Company on Wednesday, 22 February, the small thermal power stations were not generating electricity at all.
Hwange was producing 969 MW, Kariba was generating 571MW and Independent Power Producers (IPPs), were generating 35MW to give a total of 1 575MW.
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