ZESA in depressed power production

ZIMBABWE’S power utility, Zesa, says the national grid is presently experiencing depressed output due to a technical fault at Hwange Power Station.

As a result of the above power supply situation, load shedding has increased across the country that before the technical glitch was producing an average of 1 094 megawatts (MW) against a peak demand of 2 200MW.

“Zesa Holdings would like to advise its valued stakeholders that the national power grid is currently experiencing reduced electricity generation capacity due to a technical fault at Hwange Power Station.

“This has been further compounded by low generation capacity at Kariba Power Station, resulting from low water levels.

“Our technical teams are actively working to resolve the fault at Hwange to minimize the impact on our customers,” said the company in a public notice.

Zimbabwe’s power constraints have been worsened by the extremely low water level at Kariba Dam following the drought that hit the southern African region in the 2023/24 rainy season.

Consequently, this has compelled the country to depend largely on Hwange, whose installed capacity was raised to 1 520MW following the addition of Units 7 and 8 with the two units adding a combined 600MW.

Kariba Power Station whose output was increased to 1 050MW, was experiencing depressed output as water levels at the dam had drastically dwindled.

The dam was designed to operate at between levels of 475,50 metres and 488,50m for hydropower generation for Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The Zambezi River Authority, responsible for water management in the Kariba Dam, recently indicated that usable (live) water needed for electricity generation, as of November 11, 2024—was at 476,03m against 477,88m in the corresponding period last year.-ebsinessweekl