More fuel stations for rural areas

More fuel stations for rural areas Bulawayo sees a surge in fuel industry business through the emergence of small filling stations through out the city
Nqobile Tshili, nqobile.tshili@chronicle.co.zw

THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has approved new guidelines for the establishment of containerised filling stations, paving way for more fuel stations to be set up in the country’s rural and remote areas.

This move aims to enhance fuel accessibility in underserved regions and is part of Zera’s broader strategy to expand Zimbabwe’s fuel sector.

In a statement released in its 2024 first-quarter report, Zera highlighted the growing need for fuel stations in rural areas due to the increase in vehicular population and the expansion of productive sectors across the country.

The authority is also working with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to regulate the construction of fuel retail sites in urban areas where there has been a noticeable proliferation of fuel stations.

THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera)

“As the fuel sector continues to grow, guidelines for approval of containerised filling stations have been approved, which will see the rise of containerised fuel retail facilities in rural and remote areas,” Zera said.

The energy regulator further explained that the development of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry would streamline the licensing process for new fuel retail sites in urban areas, addressing public concerns about the spacing and regulation of these stations.

“Zera is working with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to develop a framework or Memorandum of Understanding for regulating the construction of fuel retail sites in local authority areas, especially urban areas,” said Zera.

The report revealed that 13 industry players were found guilty of failing to meet these standards due to contamination and adulteration of fuel. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, 113 retail sites and 126 LPG facilities were audited for compliance with technical standards, with several sites failing initial pre-licensing inspections.

“To promote high standards of customer service to motorists, the authority audited 52 fuel retail sites for service standards grading, with one site achieving a five-star grading, 34 achieving three-star grading, and 17 receiving a one-star grading,” the report noted.

Quality monitoring efforts were also intensified, with 150 fuel samples taken from retail sites across the country.

Of these, four were found to be contaminated with water and nine were suspected of being adulterated, leading to prosecutions.

Safety remains a critical concern for Zera as the report indicated that 18 people and 10 livestock lost their lives due to fuel handling mishaps in the first quarter. A total of 35 accidents were recorded and 51 percent of them were fatal.

Notably, two fire accidents involving petroleum products were reported including a tragic incident in Karoi where three people died due to illegal fuel sales at a house.

In response to these safety issues, Zera is intensifying standards awareness training for both the public and those involved in fuel undertakings, aiming to reduce the occurrence of such accidents. —chronicl