By Savious Madanhire
In a bid to address the ongoing power shortages, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has implemented various measures to increase power generation and reduce outages following the load-shedding being experienced countrywide.
The load-shedding being experienced countrywide is set to ease as a technical fault that had been experienced at Hwange Power Station Unit 8 have been resolved.
According to a statement released, ZESA executive chairman Dr Sydney Gata said, a multitude of challenges that the authority is facing include vandalism, debt and climate change.
“The impact of the El Nino during the last rain season which has seen power production at Kariba South Hydro plant curtailed from 1050MW to an average of 272MW, following the directive from the Zambezi River Authority for Zimbabwe and Zambia to reduce generation.”
“ZESA has been facing a power supply shortfall of up to 540 MW during the high demand winter period. Total power supply is averaging 1310 MW against a demand of 1850MW at peak, leaving a shortfall of 540MW and the attendant load shedding.”
Dr. Gata went on to say, ZESA is owed over ZWL5.7 billion by several customers which has reduced its ability to import power and maintain infrastructure.
“The imports have however been reduced as we do not have full capacity to service the arrears. We are owed in excess of ZIG 5.7 billion by several customers. Despite the supply shortages, we have had to resort to exporting electricity during non-peak hours to raise some foreign currency to meet our obligations.”
Dr. Gata said the authority has recorded high cases of vandalism and theft of electrical infrastructure over the past five years, resulting in losses of over USD24 million.
“Vandalism cases have been on the rise. For the last 5 years to June 2024, 7186 cases have been recorded. This translates to a cost to the Utility of USD24.4 million for that period (averaging USD4 million a year).”
“The type of cases includes vandalism and theft of copper and aluminium conductors, cables, transformer oil, pylons and transformers,” he said.
However, the authority has implemented various measures to boost power supply, including the repowering of Hwange Power Station’s Units 1 to 6, which is expected to increase output from 485 MW to 840 MW.
Additionally, ZESA has partnered with ferrochrome companies to develop thermal power plants, with construction work already underway on a 300 MW thermal power station in Hwange.
The authority has also secured investments in renewable energy, including solar and wind power, with a total of 400 MW of solar power generation in the pipeline.“Furthermore, Dr. Gata said ZESA is set to install a utility-scale battery energy storage system, which will provide 3 hours of 600 MW during morning and evening peaks, substantially reducing load shedding.
“ZESA will install a utility scale battery energy storage system of 1800 MWh (1.8GWh) which will provide 3 hours of 600 MW during morning and evening peaks. This will substantially reduce load shedding, besides providing some benefits to system operation.”
“ZESA is preparing a number of sites for deployment of its own solar power generation. Studies are being taken to bank-ability stage and these will be developed through a number of strategies.”
Dr. Gata assured stakeholders that these initiatives will produce over 3300 MW of additional capacity, easing the power supply shortages that have plagued the country.
“These initiatives will produce over 3300 MW of additional capacity.
Note that in the medium term we should also anticipate reverting to higher production of around 700 MW from Kariba as the water flows in the dam normalize in the next 2 to 3 years.”
