HWANGE – The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has informed the public that power outages are likely to persist until late November, attributing the ongoing energy crisis to technical problems at the Hwange Power Station.
Additionally, a new 300 MW power generator at the station is undergoing 30-day maintenance, further complicating the situation.
After several months of relatively stable power supply from the end of June through September, Zimbabweans have recently been grappling with a resurgence of power outages.
These outages are often unscheduled and can extend for up to five hours, causing disruptions for both businesses and households.
In an official statement, ZESA explained, “We are experiencing depressed generation owing to technical faults that have recently occurred at Hwange. This occurrence has resulted in increased load shedding.
“We also wish to notify stakeholders that the Hwange Unit 7, which was synchronized in March 2023, is scheduled to undergo Class C Maintenance, a statutory procedure that requires the unit to be taken off the grid after running for a defined period. This work is expected to be completed within 30 days.”
Furthermore, ZESA assured stakeholders that they are diligently working to implement measures aimed at reducing the severity of load shedding.
As of Wednesday, the Zimbabwe Power Company, a subsidiary of ZESA, reported that the country was generating 1,204 MW of electricity against a peak demand of 1,800 MW.
Hwange Power Station’s output had decreased to 469 MW from a high of 1,008 MW on September 27.
Kariba generated 700 MW, while small Independent Power Producers added 35 MW to the grid.
In parallel developments, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) revealed its approval of ZESA’s request to increase electricity tariffs by USc2 per kWh.
ZESA had been charging an average of USc10.63 per kWh, a rate initially approved in October 2019.
ZERA’s board chairman, David Madzikanda, explained, “The application from the utility was for an adjustment of USc2 per kWh and thereafter, stagger the tariff to a level of cost reflectivity.”
ZESA argued that the previous tariff was “sub-economic” and insufficient to cover the costs required to maintain power supply and service debts.
The inability to recover costs is further compounded by the fact that most customers pay in Zimbabwean dollars.
Madzikanda expressed optimism, stating, “We expect a significantly improved and uninterrupted electricity supply position from the utility, as it will be in a position to import electricity from the region and at the same time upgrade its power stations and grid.”
The combination of maintenance at Hwange Power Station and tariff adjustments aims to alleviate Zimbabwe’s energy crisis and improve the overall power supply situation in the country.
However, challenges are expected to continue until late November.
