ZESA has admitted that it was channelling 400MW to clients that are assured there can never be load-shedding at their properties. These ring-fenced customers were reportedly sometimes paying hard currency to ZESA for the ring-fence guarantee so that they constantly have power mainly for production.
According to Sunday News, ZESA has stopped the ring-fence guarantees as electricity production plummets to 800MW against a demand of 1800MW.
According to the publication:
ZESA Holdings says it is shovelling 400 megawatts towards ring-fenced customers, mainly exporters, but cannot guarantee supply agreements due to depleted capacity to generate or import power. Highly placed industry sources said the State power utility had stopped ring-fenced guarantees with customers amid consistent failure to guarantee supply, even though customers pay in hard currency.
Other not critical consumers who cant be ring-fenced are going for many hours without electricity as generation dwindles mainly due to the drought among other reasons.
More: Sunday News