The country’s power utility, ZESA, said that it is working towards increasing electricity imports from Mozambique to augment local power generation which recently dipped due to low water levels at Kariba Dam.
Zesa Holdings spokesperson, Fullard Gwasira on Monday revealed that work is in progress at the Hwange Thermal Power Plant increase power output by adding a new unit. Said Gwasira:
Zesa is currently working towards increasing imports, particularly from Mozambique’s (Hydro Cahora Bassa), but this is also coupled with initiatives that we have undertaken to try and increase power generation in the country.
For instance, Hwange Power Station (HPS) is now running on four generators and the fifth one is set to come on-line soon and this is a huge generator, which can produce up to 100 megawatts.
There are concerns, however, that ZESA’s plans to import power from neighbouring countries could be scuppered by its failure to pay millions of dollars for earlier power imports, particularly from South Africa’s power utility, ESKOM.