ZESA Ramps Up Kariba Power Generation As Hwange Units Shut Down
The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), a unit of ZESA Holdings, has increased power generation at the Kariba South Hydropower Station to mitigate a severe electricity crisis following the shutdown of two generators at the Hwange Thermal Power Station.
Since Tuesday, March 4, Kariba has been generating a maximum of 485 MW, a significant increase from the 185 MW it had been producing over the past several months due to low water levels at Lake Kariba.
Although the lake level remains low, with a mere 9.60% Usable Live Storage on February 3, 2025, compared to 15.36% on the same date in 2024, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has noted a gradual rise as the rainy season progresses.
On Friday, ZESA announced that two units at the Hwange Thermal Power Station would shut down for maintenance.
Unit 7, one of the two new units commissioned in 2023 and generating 300 MW, will undergo maintenance from March 2 to March 29, 2025. Unit 6, an older unit producing 150 MW, will be shut down from mid-March to May.
As of Friday, Hwange was generating 1,076 MW, while the total national output stood at 1,341 MW.
However, on Wednesday, March 5, Hwange was generating 666 MW, Kariba was producing 485 MW, and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) contributed 79 MW, giving a total output of 1,230 MW.
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