Zesa will this week add 160 MW of electricity to the national grid following the successful refurbishment of Unit 5 at Hwange Power Station (HPS), while a further 160MW from Unit 6 is expected within the next three months, it has been learnt.
Unit 6 has been down since March. The addition of power
from Unit 5, which is expected to ease the current heavy load-shedding, will
take the total generation at HPS to 660MW.
In addition, President Mnangagwa is today expected to engage
his South African counterpart President Cyril Ramaphosa to explore the
possibilities of imports from Eskom.
Zesa spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira said the utility is
currently engaging the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) to help raise the £3,3
million (US$4,1 million) needed to refurbish Unit 6.
“Hwange Unit 5 is expected to be back in service during the
course of this weekend and it will inject 160MW. Thus Hwange will generate an
average of 500MW,” said Mr Gwasira.
“Unit 6, which has been out from March 2019 owing to the
generator earth fault, requires up to £3,3 million to be fixed. The Reserve
Bank of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Finance are making efforts to assist Zesa
in raising this amount.”
However, he warned that generation at Kariba Power Station
might be further reduced by the continued decline of water levels in Kariba
Dam.
“Owing to the drought experienced in the upstream of the
Kariba reservoir, the lake levels are now about 27 percent.
“Kariba South Hydropower Station is expected to further
reduce the plant’s current average output from 580MW to the recommended 358MW.
“Failure to adhere to the Zambezi River Authority
(ZRA)-recommended 358MW may result in the plant shutting down by October 2019.
This is a situation we have to avoid by taking the correct remedial action in
line with the noble recommendations.”
According to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and
Distribution Company (ZETDC), load-shedding has increased outside the published
schedule due to soaring demand in excess of 1800 MW against generation of about
1100 MW.
Zesa is failing to compensate the shortfall with imports as
it owes significant amounts to suppliers in South Africa and Mozambique.
Meanwhile, Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune
Chasi has said all Government ministries will be metered to ensure responsible
use of electricity.
At national level, Mr Fullard Gwasira said 656 000 prepaid
meters have been installed in domestic premises so far.
“The installation of prepaid electricity meters is ongoing,
although the rate of connection was affected by the current shortage of foreign
currency.
“Since the inception of the programme in 2012, ZETDC has
connected 656 000 prepaid electricity meters in domestic premises and small
institutions countrywide.”
Mr Gwasira says the development has greatly empowered
customers to manage their own consumption as well as guarantee the power
utility’s revenue collection.
Private players were licensed to supply meters to speed up
the process, which resulted in 48 000 additional consumers being connected to
the grid. Zesa expects to connect a further 135 000 customers to the grid once
the foreign currency supplies improve. Sunday Mail
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