THE authorities will take extraordinary measures, including the removal of all barriers hindering investment in the energy sector, to ensure that Zimbabwe does not face severe power shortages next year, President Mnangagwa has said.
This comes as top officials have said Zimbabweans can look
forward to a bright Christmas as the country is expected to have enough
electricity for the festive holidays due to the coming on stream of Hwange Unit
7, fresh power imports from Mozambique and reduced consumption from business
and industry.
Writing in his column for The Sunday Mail, the President
said Government is intensifying efforts to boost power generation through a
raft of measures, including funding the repair of antiquated generators at the
Hwange Thermal Power Station and immediately opening up the sector to new
investors.
He said Government will facilitate accelerated entrance of
new players and enhance power generation from non-hydro power sources in a
development geared towards climate-proofing electricity generation currently
beset by water shortages at Lake Kariba.
“Extraordinary measures are needed and will be taken in the
coming year. With the US$310 million, we now have to refurbish and replace old
Generators 1 to 6 at Hwange, coupled with the coming on stream of Generators 7
and 8, early next year, we should see an appreciable improvement in power
supply early in the coming year.
“We must now plan for our power generation and supply as if
Kariba is discounted from our energy supply matrix, so we have at least 2 000
megawatts from non-hydro power sources. That way, we weather-proof our energy
sector and with it, our whole Economy. I have already instructed Government to
remove all and any entry barriers to new investments in the energy sector.”
President Mnangagwa said the irony of the current power
shortages is that this challenge has been bred by success recorded in growing
the economy and attracting new investments.
“The rapid growth and expansion in both mining and
industry, coupled with new investment projects across sectors, has increased
demand for power, created a clear mismatch between power generation and supply
on the one hand, and power demand and distribution on the other.”
He said nature has also caused challenges at the Kariba
hydro plants, which are Zimbabwe’s biggest source of power.
“As I write, Kariba’s power generation capacity has
drastically fallen from its installed capacity of 1 100 megawatts to a mere 100
megawatts. Our capacity for thermal power has also fallen due to the aged six
generators we developed soon after Independence.”
President Mnangagwa said he is pleased that in 2022,
Zimbabwe rose to the occasion, “even registering remarkable gains in
adversity”.
“Our economy is projected to grow by 4,6 percent in the
year we are about to close. This growth rate is above the average in
Sub-Saharan Africa,” he said.
The Head of State said Zimbabwe’s response to the Covid-19
pandemic was excellent as the vaccination roll-out strategy saved many lives
that could have been lost.
While the conflict in Eastern Europe amply revealed global
food insecurity, Zimbabwe used that conflict situation to horn and strengthen
its food security systems, resulting in a bumper wheat harvest.
The President declared: “With the aggressive strategy we
continue to pursue in climate proofing our Agriculture through investment in
dam construction and modern irrigation facilities, I have no doubt in my mind
that we will regain our bread-basket status in the next few seasons.”
President Mnangagwa said the national devolution programme
has been positively felt right down to communities, which now have a direct
role in drawing up priorities.
“Devolution Policy has enabled us to spread development
evenly across all the Provinces which make up our nation, thus making sure no
one and no community is left behind.”
Meanwhile, during an interview with Zimpapers Television
Network Prime on Friday, Energy and Power Development Permanent Secretary
Engineer Gloria Magombo said the coming in of 300MW from Hwange’s newly
constructed Unit 7 will bring Christmas cheer.
She said Government is also seeking to develop wind farms
to provide alternative and clean energy.
“There is a study which has now been done, a resource
assessment for Mamina, where we can produce up to 500MW of wind power, and we
have developers who are looking at that,” said Engineer Magombo.
“So, from a wind point of view, we have a mast which has
been put up in Guruve. .
“We are doing studies and we have received funding through
the African Development Bank to do other wind sites so that, when we call for
investors and say we want you to come and do wind, we will already have a site
to offer.”
Engineer Magombo said this month, some industries will
close for the Christmas and New Year holidays, reducing demand for electricity.
“Usually, they close between the 16th of December and the
15th of January, and it takes the pressure off the system,” said Engineer
Magombo.
“If you look at consumption, we have 25 percent going to
domestic; 25 percent going to commercial; we have another 24 percent, plus or
minus, going to industry; and then mining gets about 21 percent, plus or minus.
But that one usually stays on because, even if mines shut down, they still have
to pump out water, especially during this rainy season.” Sunday Mail
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