Zimbabwe to endure power cuts for the next five years

HARARE — Zimbabwe’s hopes of easing power cuts might become a reality within the next four to five years, when the repowering of Hwange Power Station’s units 1 to 6 is complete, restoring the station’s capacity to at least 840MW, Energy Minister Edgar Moyo said on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe continues to grapple with persistent challenges in its electricity generation infrastructure, resulting in daily blackouts that now extend beyond 10 hours a day.

Speaking in Parliament, Moyo detailed the grim state of the nation’s power sector, citing a daily shortfall in electricity production despite efforts to ramp up capacity.

“The country through the Zimbabwe Power Company is currently generating a daily average of 1,300 megawatts against a demand of an average of 1,850 megawatts,” Moyo told lawmakers.

“ …the allocation of resources to Hwange Units 1 to 4 and 6, in order to minimise plant down time on failure, will further alleviate the electricity shortages. With these developments, prioritising resources for the power station’s key production related issues is indeed a viable short term solution,” Moyo said.

He continued: “The repowering of units 1 to 6 in 48 to 60 months’ time in the short term will eventually restore the station’s capacity to at least 840MW which should significantly curtail load shedding and stabilise the power supply for the country.”

Zimbabwe relies heavily on the Hwange and Kariba power stations, which are grappling with operational issues. Hwange, the country’s largest coal-fired plant, is hobbled by maintenance delays, with only certain units operational.

“Unit 2 is under statutory maintenance and is expected to return to service in July 2024. Unit 5 is undergoing a major overhaul which is expected to be completed in May 2025,” Moyo explained.

The situation at Kariba, crucial for hydropower, remains dire due to low water levels in the Zambezi River, significantly limiting its output.

“Kariba power station is generating at an average of 292MW out of a dependable or an installed capacity of 1050MW due to low water levels,” Moyo added.

To mitigate the shortfall, Zimbabwe has secured imports from neighboring countries like South Africa, Mozambique, and others, but these have not sufficed to cover the deficit.

Load shedding, a controlled way of rationing electricity, has been implemented across the country in stages based on daily shortfalls, affecting both residential and industrial users.

“Due to the shortfall in internal generation, the country has been experiencing Stage 1 load shedding until mid-June 2024. Thereafter, there has been increased demand resulting in Stage 2 load shedding,” Moyo said.

Looking ahead, the Energy Minister outlined several measures to improve the power situation, including the refurbishment of existing power stations and the exploration of alternative energy sources like solar and small hydroelectric plants.

However, challenges such as cable theft, infrastructure shortcomings, and the slow rollout of renewable energy projects continue to hinder progress.

*Impact on Agriculture and Industry*

The persistent power cuts have also taken a toll on Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector, particularly impacting winter wheat production, noted Zanu PF Zaka South MP Clemence Chiduwa in parliament.

“The issue of cables, Mr. Speaker Sir, in Chegutu we have over 1000 hectares that we should have planted wheat, but we failed to do so simply because ZESA says we have no cables,” Chiduwa lamented.

Industrial output, including the critical ferrochrome sector, is also suffering, with calls for industry-specific solutions to mitigate the impact of power shortages.

*International Collaborations and Future Prospects*

Despite the challenges, the Energy Minister highlighted ongoing collaborations with international partners and efforts to enhance domestic power generation capacity through policy reforms and investment initiatives.

“The Government is looking at increasing power supply sources through an enabling policy and regulation environment for support and procurement from Independent Power Producers (IPPs),” Moyo stated.

The long-term outlook remains uncertain, contingent on resolving immediate operational hurdles and advancing sustainable energy solutions.

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