The Zimbabwean government has approved a series of measures to address the country’s persistent power supply shortages, which have resulted in extended load-shedding periods of up to 16 hours per day.
During a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare on Tuesday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Jenfan Muswere, outlined the government’s plans to improve the nation’s electricity situation. Said Muswere:
The structural challenges are being addressed by the Mutapa Investment Fund in a process involving bundling or merging of some entities under ZESA Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, as recommended by an independent consultant who was commissioned to undertake the task.
This will result in a more simplified and efficient governance and management structure. Supply-side interventions include rehabilitation of Hwange Units 1 to 6 under a Build, Operate and Transfer arrangement which is set to commence this year.
The Mutapa Investment Fund is also putting in place measures to cater for the foreign currency requirements of Independent Power Producers.
To address the low uptake of net metering from solar-generated electricity, ZESA has been specifically directed to promote the facility and streamline the pertinent procedures and requirements to increase uptake.
The loss of electricity during transmission is being attended to through the establishment of a joint venture between ZENT and QLV for the manufacture of cables, and in dealing with theft.
The extended periods of load shedding have driven many Zimbabwean businesses and households to seek alternative energy solutions, such as diesel-powered generators and solar power systems.
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