GOVERNMENT has assured the nation that power supplies would
improve in the coming days as interventions are being implemented to restore
normal generation at Hwange Thermal Power Station.
The country is facing power outages as a result of
depressed generation mainly at Hwange due to ageing equipment that is overdue
for service. Power utility, Zesa is producing 270 megawatts (MW) from Hwange
and 890MW from Kariba hydro. An average of 200MW is imports against a national
demand of 2 200MW.
Speaking on the sidelines of a tour of the Hwange units 7
and 8 expansion project here yesterday, Energy and Power Development Minister,
Soda Zhemu, said engineers at Hwange Power Station were working towards
bringing unit 5 online with repairs having been completed.
“Three units are currently in service and doing between 260
and 270MW, which is actually inadequate considering the power demands in the
country. So far, we are expecting unit 5 to be back on service anytime once
diesel is made available, which we heard is on its way,” he said.
“In the next 2-3 days unit 5 will be back to service. Once
that unit is back online then the current power outages will be a thing of the
past. Yes, we know there is work going on at units 3 and 6 and arrangements to
have the experts coming back into the country.”
The minister expressed hope that once units 3 and 6 were
brought into service by next month and December, the country will meet its
power requirements for the productive sector and household consumers.
He said delays on progress at units 7 and 8 expansion
project as well as the existing units was due to the outbreak of Covid-19,
which caused lockdowns that affected foreign travel by engineers after the
December holiday.
“We have also taken note of the challenges the power
utility is facing in terms of breakdowns. Unit 5 is supposed to be taken back
into service anytime,” said the minister.
He said the ministry has made recommendations for the
energy company to invest in modern technology and use of coking-gas to firing
and stabilisation of generators to augment the expensive fuel.
Briefing the minister, Zimbabwe Power Company acting
general manager, Engineer Tom Chuma said refurbishment on unit 5 was complete
and was awaiting delivery of diesel to start up the generators for it to be
back online. Chronicle
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