The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority’s ability to
effectively supply electricity to businesses and residents continues to be
seriously hamstrung following reports that more than 2 200 transformers were
stolen from sites dotted across the country.
The power utility that has been failing to supply power due
to antiquated power generation plant and equipment at its thermal stations and
fast dwindling water levels at Kariba South, was recently saved by Government
that agreed to help it mobilise money to import electricity from South Africa’s
Eskom.
In an interview, Energy and Power Development Minister
Fortune Chasi said the vandalism which cuts across all Zesa regions — Northern,
Western, Harare, Southern and Eastern Regions — presents a big challenge as it
means Zesa has to literary guard all transformers across the country.
Northern Region, which is made up of the three Mashonaland
provinces, leads the pack with 927 transformers having been stolen or
vandalised.
Western Region, which houses the Matabeleland provinces has
lost 625, while Harare has lost 575, with 94 having been lost in the Southern
Region.
Zesa is thus looking for the latest technology that can
deter the vandals but in the meantime the minister appealed to the general
populace to take a stand against the vandals and report any suspected vandalism
to the police.
Reports say cable thieves take advantage of power outages
to steel the components that they sell to mainly scrape metal dealers, who
export it or sell it to local steel makers.
If unchecked, Minister Chasi said the practice will
undermine any investment that goes into power generation as the power will not
be able to reach the intended users in the absence of transformers.
“If you look at the statistics, you will realise that it’s
spread nationally and this presents a huge challenge in terms of curbing the
vice,” said Minister Chasi.
“At Government level, we are obviously looking at
technologies that can be used to deter this kind of economic sabotage, but
before we register success on that front, there is need for the people of
Zimbabwe to take a position and say we can’t allow this to continue by
reporting all perpetrators.
“Because at this rate, it doesn’t matter how much money we
invest in generation, if we don’t have transformers or we continue to lose them
like this, then generation investment will not count for anything.
“I think it is also incumbent on us to begin to seriously
investigate whether this is organised crime or whether it’s coordinated and, if
so, by who,” he said.
In addition to the transformers, the power utility is also
said to have lost more than 1 000km of power conductor lines.
The vandalism of Zesa infrastructure continues unabated
despite a seemingly deterrent 10-year jail term for convicted offenders.
In August, Zesa removed copper cables along the grid that
connects Bulawayo and the border town of Plumtree as the area had become
susceptible to thieves who were mainly targeting copper cables.
Last year the power utility also sent out tenders inviting
suppliers of industrial grade drone monitors which it said would be used for
surveillance on the grid and other Zesa equipment.
Theft of power equipment is not unique to Zimbabwe.
South Africa’s Eskom has also fallen victim, with thieves
targeting steel components and thus bringing down electricity pylons.
As part of measures to curb the vice, Eskom has responded
by replacing damaged lattice towers with mono poles as part of phasing out
infrastructure that is prone to thieves. Herald
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