Zesa improves power generation capacity

THE country recorded improved power generation in the third quarter ended September 2021 with the Kariba Hydro-Power Station dominating the contribution to the national grid.

According to the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) report for the period under review, there was a general improvement in electricity generation with a total output of 2,203GWh, which surpassed target by 7.69 percent.

“Kariba Power Station contributed 64 percent of the total energy production in the period under review, with five percent exported to Nam Power,” said the utility.

“Hwange Power Station supplied 33 percent and the small thermals three percent.”
ZPC has said generation was constrained at thermal stations mainly because of low plant availability caused by ageing plant equipment.

It noted that as at the end of the third quarter Kariba Power Station had utilised 17.645Bm3 (billion cubic metres) of water leaving 3.355Bm3 for generation for the rest of the year.

The Zambezi River Authority has allocated 30Bm3 to Kariba North and Kariba South Power Stations for generation in 2021.

“Kariba South Power Station had an annual water allocation of 15Bm3, which corresponds to an annual average capacity of 381MW,” said ZPC.

“The water allocation was later reviewed to 42Bm3, which translates to 21Bm3 per utility. This increased the annual average capacity from 381MW to 550MW.

“The lake level dropped from 482.70m at the beginning of the quarter to 480.93m at the end of September 2021.

This represented a 1.77m decrease in lake level over the quarter. The lake level at the end of the same quarter last year was 479.85m.”-The Chronicle