TALKS between the Government and South Africa power
utility, Eskom, which will see the resumption of electricity imports from the
neighbouring country that will ease the prevailing shortages in the country are
progressing well with the results of deliberations expected soon, a Cabinet
Minister has said.
Energy and Power Development Minister Advocate Fortune
Chasi who is in South Africa to finalise an electricity imports deal with Eskom
could not shed much light into the negotiations when he spoke to Sunday News
yesterday but said talks were ongoing.
“We are still engaged at official level,” he said, adding
that he could not add more for fear of jeopardising the talks.
Talks between Zimbabwe and South Africa for the resumption
of power exports started after the Government paid US$10 million to Eskom to
reduce the debt owed to the neighbouring country’s power utility. Eskom is owed
about US$35 million by Zimbabwe.
The Government is anticipating that its show of commitment
to pay Eskom would pave way for a new import deal.
Zimbabwe is seeking to import as much as 400 megawatts (MW)
from Eskom, which would go a long way in alleviating the power situation in the
country.
Under previous arrangements, Zimbabwe was getting as much
as 300MW from Eskom and another 300MW from Mozambique.
The talks were given impetus after President Mnangagwa met
his South African counterpart, President Cyril Ramaphosa in Niamey, Niger recently.
Minister Chasi is also expected to visit his counterpart in
Mozambique on a mission to discuss possible increase of power imports for
Zimbabwe by that country’s power utility, Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa.
Owing to low water levels at Kariba Dam and reduced
generation at its major power stations, Zesa was forced to introduce a load
shedding regime of 10 hours a day throughout the country.
The dam, on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, is only 34
percent full and cannot generate electricity at optimal capacity. The country’s
current power installed capacity standing at 2 000MW and as of Friday last week
it was producing 738MW against a demand of 1 600MW.
Meanwhile, our Harare Bureau reports that a consortium of
General Electric and Power Construction Corporation of China has been awarded
the tender to develop the Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Scheme (BGHES) under a
Build, Operate and Transfer funding model between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
A special Zambezi River Authority Council of Ministers
meeting held in Lusaka, Zambia on Friday resolved to bring forward the
selection of the contractors given the power shortages afflicting the two
countries.
Initially the contractor was supposed to be selected in
September. The Council of Ministers (COM) consist of ministers responsible for
energy and finance portfolios in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Energy and Power Development Minister Advocate Fortune
Chasi and his Finance and Economic Development counterpart Professor Mthuli
Ncube signed the communique on behalf of the Zimbabwean Government while
Zambian Energy Minister Matthew Nkhuwa and his Finance counterpart Margaret
Mwanakatwe signed on behalf of the Zambian government.
Negotiations with the consortium will commence immediately.
A communique released following the extraordinary meeting confirmed the
development.
“The COM noted the commendable progress made on the
programme for the development of the BGHES which was in accordance to plan.
The COM, however, noted that the Republics of Zambia and
Zimbabwe were currently facing a power crisis which was worsened by the
2017-2018 hydrological season where the rainfall received was below normal.
“As a result of this abnormal rainfall pattern of the
current season coupled with the uncertainty associated with future rainfall
patterns for the region, factors of which spell out the need to fast track
measures to establish additional water storage and power generation
infrastructure, there was, therefore, need for the two Governments to ensure
that the implementation of the BGHES was expedited.
“In order to mitigate the current power crisis within the
shortest possible time, the Governments of the Republics of Zambia and Zimbabwe
have reached an emergency decision to award the development of the BGHES to the
consortium of Power Construction Corporation of China and General Electric on a
build, operate, transfer (BOT) financial model. This is in order to ensure the
future energy security of the two nations.”
The communique further states that the COM resolved to
implement measures that will ensure the power utilities in Zambia and Zimbabwe
remain sustainable. Energy secretary Engineer Gloria Magombo said that
negotiations with the consortium will commence immediately to kick start the
project. Sunday News
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