Cook

Student Development Officer

Senior Assistant Registrar

Data Captures x2

Personal Assistant

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Telephonist

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Welders x2

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Quality Assurance and Enhancement Officer (Governance and Administration)

Quality Assurance and Enhancement Officer (Sciences)

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Assistant Risk Officer

Software Programmer

Software Engineer

Web Master

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Director of Monitoring and Evaluation Performance Contracting

VMMC Project Director (Harare)

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Drivers x3

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Bank Tellers

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Energy and Power Development Minister Edgar Moyo said that electricity generation in the country has improved following the completion of maintenance works at Hwange Power Station’s Unit 8 last week.
Speaking in an interview with <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/improved-power-supply-as-zesa-completes-unit-maintenance/">The Sunday News</a>, Moyo said Hwange Unit 8 was under maintenance works for a number of weeks and this affected the electricity supply leading to power cuts. He said:
<blockquote>
Unit 8 at Hwange Power Station had been off for a while undergoing maintenance works.
It is now back on line and this is why you realise that the electricity supply has improved.
What we also have to understand is that at times we get frequent breakdowns or faults hence it might not be necessarily load-shedding.
Load-shedding occurs when we have a mismatch in the supply of electricity and its demand.
</blockquote>
Moyo said the unavailability of Unit 8 forced the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) to increase power generation at Kariba Hydro Power Station. He said:
<blockquote>
Our supply is not always constant; it depends on a lot of variables for example at Kariba Power Station we are now reducing productivity due to hydrology issues where water is now very low.
We are trying to stretch power generation up to the end of the year. However, sometimes if one of the units at Hwange Power Station has a problem, we increase generation at Kariba.
On the other hand, if our units at Hwange are giving us good production, we reduce at Kariba to save water. So it’s never a straight line.
As government however, we remain committed to the provision of uninterrupted power supply in order to be able to drive the industrialisation agenda towards an upper-middle-income economy.
</blockquote>
From 01 September to 22 September, Kariba Power Station was producing up to 925 megawatts, which was significantly more than what Hwange Power Station was generating.
However, from 23 September, power generation at Hwange improved with last Wednesday’s production going up to 1008 megawatts.
On Monday, 02 October, Hwange was generating 970MW, Kariba was producing 611MW, and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) were generating 21MW to give a total of 1 602MW.
<img alt="Image" decoding="async" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F7arLh9XoAAAAjR?format=png&amp;name=large"/>
Zimbabwe’s electricity consumption stands at above 1 800 megawatts.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Electricity Supply Improves As ZESA Completes Hwange Unit 8 Maintenance

A power outage that has lasted for three consecutive days within Gweru’s Central Business District (CBD) has negatively affected businesses.
The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) on Saturday said the power outage was caused by a cable fault and was being attended to.
Banks and some retail shops have resorted to using generators, while Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the tailoring industry, have lost significant business as they could not fulfill orders for uniforms, with schools opening this week.
The power outage has also affected internet services and voice calls, making it challenging for residents to purchase electricity coupons and conduct mobile money transactions.
According to a notice by ZETDC, the affected areas are as follows:
<blockquote>
Main Street, Robert Mugabe Avenue, 8th Street, Jason Moyo Avenue, Bahadur Centre, First Mutual Building, Old Zesa District Offices, Magistrate Courts, ZRP Central Office, Bensam Flats, Nice Time, DCK, Chitukuko, Zuva Garage, Old Mutual Building, Nandos, Teachers Furnitures, Econet Wireless, Moonlight Building, Shopwell Building, Glow Petroleum, NSSA, Educare, Legion Bar, 5 th, 6 th, 7th, ZBC, Police Main Camp, Gweru East – Princess, Simpson Road, Strand Road, Kent Crescent, Kopje Road and the surrounding areas.
</blockquote>
The power outage comes at a time when the electricity situation in the country has vastly improved compared to the first quarter of 2023.
The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) on Friday said it was generating a total of 1 555 MW from two power stations, that is, Hwange Power Station (665 MW) and Kariba Power Station (890 MW), which is nearly enough to meet the country’s power needs.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZESA Cable Fault Plunges Gweru CBD Into Darkness

<a href="https://pindula.co.zw/ZESA">ZESA Holdings</a> chief executive Howard Choga has said the power utility aims to more than double national grid capacity by 2025 to meet increasing demand mainly driven by the mining industry.
Addressing a mining conference on Thursday in Victoria Falls, Choga said that ZESA expects to add 2 300 MW to the grid by 2025. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/zimbabwe-aims-double-power-output-by-2025-meet-mining-demand-2023-06-01/?rpc=401&amp;">Reuters</a> quoted Choga as saying:
<blockquote>
We expect that by 2025, we would have added 2 300 MW to the grid. I must say over 80% of the 2 300 MW is demand from miners.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe currently has a generating capacity of 2 000 megawatts (MW) but is producing less than 1 500 MW due to regular breakdowns at its thermal power stations and low water levels at Kariba Dam for the Kariba Hydropower plant.
As of Thursday, 01 June 2023, the Zimbabwe Power Company, a subsidiary of ZESA Holdings, was generating a total of 1 423 MW.
Choga also revealed that Zambia and Mozambique cut off electricity supplies to Zimbabwe over failure to pay for imports. He said:
<blockquote>
We have had a discontinuation of supply from Zambia and Mozambique because we failed to pay. After accumulated bills imports were then discontinued on March 13.
</blockquote>
In December 2021, the Government unveiled incentives meant to help bring 1 100 MW of new solar projects on stream by 2025 but little progress has been made due to a lack of investment in new energy projects.
At the conference, miners complained of losing up to 12 hours of production time daily due to power cuts.
Zimbabweans are spending more than 12 hours each day without electricity both at home and at the office. 
The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) recently offered some tips on managing electricity usage in the office saying this helps alleviate pressure on the grid. Here are the tips:
<ul>
<li>Replace all incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs).</li>
<li>During the day, where possible, use natural lighting from windows rather than using lights.</li>
<li>Switch off all lights when leaving the office.</li>
<li>Switch off computers and printers from the plug, when leaving the office. Appliances on standby mode still consume energy.</li>
<li>Insulate water heaters, hot water piping, and tanks to reduce heat loss.</li>
<li>Invest in energy-efficient air conditioning systems and energy-efficient electronic devices. Opt for fan heaters instead of element heaters.</li>
<li>Go green, and use renewable energy. Consider installing solar panels for other energy needs, and sell the excess to the grid.</li>
</ul>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZESA Aims To Add 2 300 MW To The Grid By 2025

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) regularly adjusts electricity tariffs making it imperative for its customers to manage electricity consumption to cut costs.
ZETDC has offered some tips on managing electricity usage in in the office saying this helps alleviate pressure on the grid. Here are the tips:
<ul>
<li>Replace all incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs).</li>
<li>During the day, where possible, use natural lighting from windows rather than using lights.</li>
<li>Switch off all lights when leaving the office.</li>
<li>Switch off computers and printers from the plug, when leaving the office. Appliances on standby mode still consume energy.</li>
<li>Insulate water heaters, hot water piping, and tanks to reduce heat loss.</li>
<li>Invest in energy-efficient air conditioning systems and energy-efficient electronic devices. Opt for fan heaters instead of element heaters.</li>
<li>Go green, and use renewable energy. Consider installing solar panels for other energy needs, and sell the excess to the grid.</li>
</ul>
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing long hours of power blackouts due to under-investment in the energy sector which has resulted in ageing power plants generating below capacity.
On Friday, 19 May, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) was generating a total of 1 005MW at its five power stations against national demand of roughly 2 200MW.
Kariba was producing 750MW, Hwange, 240MW, Harare 15MW, Munyati 0MW, Bulawayo, 0MW.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Here Is How To Manage Electricity Usage In The Office

Zimbabwe’s thermal power generation dropped significantly on Tuesday 28 February 2023, with Hwange Thermal Power Station producing only 74 megawatts (MW) against the 920MW installed capacity.
The three small thermal stations – Bulawayo, Harare, and Munyati had zero output.
Hwange Power Station is the largest coal-fired power station in Zimbabwe with 920MW installed capacity which comprises 4x120MW and 2×220 MW units.
According to power generation figures from the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), Hwange Thermal Station production levels fell to 74MW. As a result, households are going for more than 16 hours without power.
Kariba South Hydropower Station was producing 250MW due to low water levels in the dam. The power plant has 1 050MW installed capacity.
Meanwhile, Hwange Power Station has been prone to breakdowns as most of its units are old.
On Monday 27 February, Hwange generated 75MW down from 168MW and 139 MW on Friday and Thursday last week respectively.
Early in the month, Hwange alone contributed about 384MW to the national grid.
Hwange units 7 and 8 are each expected to feed 300MW into the national grid when completed. It is not known when the two units will come on stream.
According to reports, Zimbabwe has a peak electricity demand of 1 600MW.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe's Power Plants Generating 324MW In Total

Mozambique’s Electridade de Moçambique (EDM) plans to increase power exports to other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries.
Speaking to the AIM news agency, EDM chairman Marcelino Gildo Alberto said that power exports to the region currently represent 22 per cent of EDM’s annual revenues. <a href="https://macaonews.org/portuguese-speaking-countries/electricidade-de-mocambique-to-export-energy-to-south-africa-zambia-and-zimbabwe/">The Macao News quoted Alberto as saying</a>:
<blockquote>
The southern African region is in crisis. South Africa is short of power, Zimbabwe the same, Zambia too, and recently we learned that Tanzania is starting to have problems.
So, we are going to take advantage of this situation to sell to the regional market, because we have surplus energy.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe and Zambia’s electricity crises are partly attributable to falling water levels at Lake Kariba.
Last year, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) ordered ZESA and ZESCO, Zimbabwe and Zambia’s power utilities respectively, to reduce electricity generation last year.
Zimbabwe operates the Kariba South Bank Power Station, which has an installed capacity of 1 050MW, while Zambia operates the Kariba North Bank Power Station which has an installed capacity of 1 080MW.
On 4 January 2023, Zambia’s State-owned power utility ZESCO Limited increased hours of load shedding to twelve (12) hours daily due to low water levels in the lake.
ZESA was also forced to reduce power generation at Kariba South Power Station towards the end of 2022 due to dwindling water levels, and as of 5 January 2023, the power plant was generating a meagre 260MW.

Mozambican Firm To Export Electricity To Zimbabwe, South Africa and Zambia

The government says it has mobilised US$34 million towards the importation of electricity from regional producers to augment local generation.
Speaking in the National Assembly last week, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said US$34 million is being processed to assist the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) and Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) to import electricity. Said Ncube:
<blockquote>
We have intervened in terms of emergency resources to support both ZETDC and ZPC to the tune of US$34 million to source power from outside.
Unfortunately, that is the best we can do immediately and this is being processed over the next seven days.
</blockquote>
Ncube also said the government will on Monday, 19 December announce independent power producers (IPPs) that will get support to generate power to meet national demand. He said:
<blockquote>
I am happy to report that we have thoroughly concluded the structure and framework of what we call the Government Implementation Agreement to support investment from the Independent Power Producers (IPPS).
It will cover three areas — an appropriate level of tariffs; Government guarantees on the power purchase agreement and also guarantee currency compatibility.
They have asked for these three things and we have put three of the projects on a pilot.
We are now satisfied that we can as Government support GIA to cover those three areas.
Monday next week, we will make a formal announcement and this will go a long way in the medium term in dealing with the power situation.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing one of its worst power crises, with electricity users spending up to 18 hours per day in the dark.
On 19 December 2022, ZPC was generating a total of 672MW from three power stations, Hwange (433), Kariba (221), and Munyati (18). Harare and Bulawayo power stations were not generating anything. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200005218/govt-releases-us34-million-for-electricity-imports">NewsDay</a>

Govt Releases US$34 Million For Power Imports

Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda recently issued a ministerial statement on the current electricity crisis. Below is his full ministerial statement to Parliament:
<blockquote>
THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. SODA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for allowing me this opportunity to present a Ministerial Statement on the state of electricity supply that is currently obtaining in the country. Zimbabwe is currently experiencing a depressed power supply situation which was exacerbated by the reduced power production from Kariba Power Station.
Besides the usual challenges of aged equipment at the country’s thermal power stations, climate change effects have hit hard on us at the Kariba South Hydro Power Plant where the dam that supports generation of power has received much reduced water inflows due to the poor 2021-2022 rain season.
The water levels at Kariba Dam have gone down such that power generation at the dam had to be curtailed.
You might be aware Mr. Speaker Sir that on Friday, 25th November this year, the Zambezi River Authority notified the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) that the utility had exhausted its water allocation for 2022 and there was need for the power station to be completely shut down.
The shutdown of the power plant would have had the following impacts: about 70% of the country’s power supply would have been lost as a result of shutting down the power station.
The network stabilization would also have been disturbed which ordinarily would be done through Kariba Power Station.
The Ministry engaged its counterparts in Zambia through meetings which were held at board level and also there was a recommendation from the board to allow the two utilities to engage.
It was through those engagements that the Council of Ministers had an Extra Ordinary Meeting to allow ZPC to continue generating from Kariba Power Station but this time at a reduced capacity of between 250 to 300 megawatts.
This effectively resulted in loss of about 300 megawatts capacity on our grid, increasing our power deficit to over 500 megawatts.
The country’s current available internal generation capacity gets to around 800mgw and the power is contributed as follows: from Hwange there is a generation of up to 400mgw which we are currently obtaining.
Kariba is running between 250mgw and 300mgw and then from the small thermals there is a contribution of 30mgw, which we are currently having.
Independent power producers are contributing a total of 56mgw to make up for the 800mgw which we are generating internally.
We are also getting some imports of electricity from Eskom, which is supplying us with 100mgw and another 50mgw from utilities in Mozambique called HCB and EDM also supplying 50mgw.
ZESCO of Zambia has an agreement with ZESA for the supply of 100mgw and in total, we are getting 300mgw as power imports.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, in order to mitigate the current shortfall that was occasioned mainly by the reduced power generation from Kariba Power Station the Ministry together with ZESA have come up with some measures.
The first one is to increase our imports, which I have already indicated that we are currently receiving 300mgw. We intend to increase by an additional 500mgw which we are targeting to get from Mozambique and from the Southern African Power Pool.
Discussions are currently underway for an additional capacity of 150mgw from Mozambique, particularly from EDM power utility.
We will also get another 50mgw from the participation of ZESA at the Southern Africa Power Pool Electricity Market to give us an additional 200mgw over and above the 300mgw which we are currently importing.
Another measure is to ramp up local generation. There is potential to increase generation at Hwange Power Station and I have already indicated that at the moment, we are getting 400mgw and the intention is to have it staying on the grid and sending that 400mgw.
Then from the small thermal power stations, we are intending to increase production and to obtain a contribution of 45mgw. The independent power producers who are currently connected to the grid would be expected to contribute around 75mgw with special focus on ZEE which is to us a low hanging fruit currently sending out 17mgw but their capacity is 40mgw.
They have depressed power generation as a result of incapacitation, which we are currently working on in terms of the coal which they require for power generation.
To that end, a rescue package has been proposed from the Government to cover for additional imports, coal supply and transport costs which have been an inhibiting factor to have adequate coal supplies at the small thermal power stations.
Discussions are currently underway with Treasury for the release of the rescue package. The other measure is to work on the demand side management.
Intensive power users are being engaged to reduce the load and also employ efficiencies in their operations.
Domestic customers are also encouraged to implement energy conservation measures like switching off switches and also to work on the restricted use of electricity geysers and use of efficient gadgets such as efficient lights, fridges and other appliances.
Various platforms are being used like the radio, social media, television and newspapers for members of the public to be aware of the need to conserve the available electricity.
ZESA is expediting the installation of prepaid and smart meters to improve the management of electricity consumption.
The other measure is to get the excess capacity through the net metering facility which allows customers with excess capacity from their generators like solar systems on rooftops to be connected to the grid.
There are some advantages which can be enjoyed by the producers of electricity themselves. You are aware that a normal solar system should be having some storage facilities but through this facility, you only need to have your solar panels and you will use the grid to bank your electricity which you will be withdrawing during times when you are out of production.
Currently, 5 megawatts of capacity have been connected to the grid and we are targeting an additional 7mgw.
ZESA is working flat out to ensure that these customers with excess capacity of 7mgw are immediately connected to the grid.
There shall also be an immediate review of the hydrological situation at Kariba Power Station. The reduction in the power generation capacity has been occasioned by the low water levels in the Kariba Dam.
The minimum operating level of the dam is 475.5mt above sea level. What it means is that any water that is above 475.5mt becomes the live lake storage which will be used for power generation.
For 2022, we had a total allocation of 45 billion cubic meters provided by ZRA, which was shared by our two utilities, ZESA and ZESCO.
ZESA exhausted our 22.5 billion cubic meters but inflows have just started to collect into the dam and there shall be an immediate review in January 2023. We hope that is going to ease the current load curtailment which is obtaining.
In the medium term, there shall be some interventions especially by way of the rehabilitation of the current Hwange station on the existing units 1 to 6.
Already, work is in progress and the detailed project report giving the scope of works to be done at the power station has been finalised and it was accepted by the project owners which are ZESA Holdings and we are seized with ensuring that my Ministry and the Ministry of Finance engages the Indian Exim Bank to also endorse on the detailed project report so that disbursements can immediately commence for the purposes of the rehabilitation of Hwange Power Station.
The intention is to bring that power station, the current Units 1 – 6 to the installed capacity of 920 mw, which if added to the expansion project which we are expecting to produce 600 mw, the total that will be coming from Hwange Power Station will come to 1520 mw.
In the long term, there shall be massive exploitation of hydro-power potential along the Zambezi River and the immediate one is through Batoka Hydro Electric Scheme which has a potential of producing 2 400 mw and as we speak, a feasibility study was concluded and the environmental impact studies have also been endorsed.
Another measure is on Government giving support to the independent power producers. The focus will be on solar PV generation projects. Currently, a total of 100 licenced projects have been licenced by ZERA.
My Ministry is engaging the Ministry of Finance to help de-risk the independent power producer projects through provision of Government implementation agreements for projects which have been awaiting Government guarantee to reach financial closure.
As we speak, three pilot projects have so far received Government implementation agreements and standard power purchase agreement documents. My Ministry is also finalising on the formulation of competitive procurement framework. This is work in progress and we hope by the first quarter of 2023 this will have been finalised.
I now come to the progress on the Hwange Expansion Project through Unit 7 and 8. The project involved the installation of 2 x 300 mw generation units at Hwange Thermal Power Station.
The project has surpassed 97% completion. The completion of Unit 7 is currently under way with the unit expected to be synchronised to the grid before the end of this month and we will be getting around 300 mw once the commission tests reaches commercial operations but as we commence the synchronisation or commercialisation, we will not immediately get to the 300 mw.
There shall be some connections and disconnections and testing of various performances during this process but this synchronisation will be achieved before end of this month.
Commissioning of Unit 8 will follow immediately after Unit 7 has achieved commercial operation and is expected to take not more than two months after reaching commercial operations of Unit 7.
These interventions will ease the current power supply situation and the Government is seized with the implementation of these measures. I submit.
</blockquote>

FULL TEXT: Minister Of Energy Issues Statement On Power Crisis

The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) is owed ZWL$14 billion (about US$20 million at the official rate) by its customers.
This was said by Deputy Energy and Power Development Minister Magna Mudyiwa in the Senate on Thursday while responding to questions on the current power crisis.
Mudyiwa said ZESA introduced prepaid meters because people were not paying their bills. She said:
<blockquote>
People would (use) as much electricity as they wanted and would not pay up. For your information, ZESA is owed about $14 billion right now.
ZESA is not getting any funding from the government for its operations. It is a company that is supposed to run on its own just like any other company.
It is supposed to buy equipment (such as) vehicles that are used when attending to faults.
They are supposed to procure fuel and are not getting forex because many people are paying in Zimbabwe dollars.
ZESA is supposed to pay its workers. You might have heard that there is a lot of brain drain that took place at ZESA and a lot of professionals left this country and went as far as UK and Australia and ZESA is supposed to pay its workers adequately – all that is not happening because ZESA is owed a lot of money by consumers.
All these units that we are using at Hwange need revamping, they are very old and need rehabilitation but there is no money because ZESA is owed more than (14) billion dollars.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe is facing one of its worst power crises due to depressed generation at its power plants resulting from low water levels in the case of Kariba, and recurrent breakdowns and coal shortages at its coal-fired power stations.
On 09 December 2022, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) was generating a total of 438MW from its five power stations.
Hwange was generating 218MW, Kariba 200, Bulawayo 20, Harare 0MW and Munyati 0MW. | <a href="https://insiderzim.com/zesa-owed-14-billion/">The Insider</a>

"ZESA Owed $14 Billion By Consumers"

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s biographer, Eddie Cross, says he warned him about a power crisis.
Cross claims that in January this year, he told Mnangagwa in a private meeting if the power generation crisis was not addressed, Zimbabwe’s economic prospects would diminish.
Cross, a former member of the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), said later, the same day, Mnangagwa invited him back to his office.
He said this time, in the president’s office, were four ministers from energy, commerce, agriculture, and finance.
They were joined by the chairman of the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), the head of the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA), and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) boss, according to Cross.
Mnangagwa told them what had been said by Cross and asked what was being done to deal with the power crisis. Said Cross at a business seminar in Harare on Thursday:
<blockquote>
There was no plan. The president turned to Dr [Sidney] Gata [the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority boss] and asked him, ‘Sidney, what are you going to do about it’?
</blockquote>
He added Gata told the president ZESA had no money to fix this problem.
Cross said the current power crisis affecting the SADC region was caused by poor planning by post-colonial governments. He said:
<blockquote>
The electrical power crisis that has enveloped southern Africa has its roots in our post-liberation history. Before that, the utilities created by the states of southern Africa exhibited considerable foresight and planning. 
This was led by the power utility of South Africa which had visionary leadership at the time and like China in the past 50 years, turned their huge coal reserves into a cheap source of electrical energy.
They installed enough power generation capacity to feed their own markets and to supply the deficit in their neighbours,
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe is in the grip of a power crisis, with the country generating 500MW against a peak demand of 2 300MW per day.
As a result, Zimbabweans are getting an average of five hours a day of electricity, in most cases late at night or early in the morning. | <a href="https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/i-warned-zim-president-about-power-crisis-mnangagwas-biographer-claims-20221209">News24</a>

I Warned Mnangagwa About A Power Crisis But There Was No Plan, Says Cross

The total collapse of Kariba South Power Station’s Unit Number 4 following years of neglect, is partly to blame for the ongoing electricity crisis facing Zimbabwe, it has emerged.
While the official narrative is that Kariba South Power Station is currently generating significantly less power than it was producing a few months ago due to depleted water allocations, Unit 4 had been unofficially decommissioned.
NewZimbabwe.com reported a Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) source as saying that the now dysfunctional unit recently broke down beyond repair due to a number of factors. Said the source:
<blockquote>
Yes, the narrative that ZPC has utilised its 2022 water allocation and was ordered by ZRA to suspend power generation is correct.
It must not be taken to be the sole and isolated reason for plunging the nation into darkness.
The crisis we find ourselves in is a result of decades of poor planning and not heeding advice that saw key machinery going for years without major maintenance.
In instances where new spares were needed, engineers were forced to resort to having them poorly machined in South Africa.
Also, there was a massive exodus of qualified personnel to run these plants due to poor salaries, but ZPC did not heed advice to nip the flight of engineers and other key technical staff in the bud.
Resultantly, the power plant was now in the hands of incompetent and inexperienced employees, thereby compromising efficiency.
The end result was the inevitable total shutdown of Unit Number 4, which is now beyond repair.
We depleted our water allocation ahead of Zambia because our machines were not just obsolete and inefficient, but also neglected, full stop!
</blockquote>
The source further claimed that a forensic audit to establish what transpired in the lead-up to the unit’s total collapse is underway. | <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/kariba-water-levels-recede-but-power-stations-unit-4-total-collapse-has-worsened-already-dire-electricity-situation-official/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>

Kariba Power Station’s Unit 4 Broke Down Beyond Repair | Reports

ZESA Holdings says load shedding will ease considerably in the coming weeks with Zimbabwe soon to get up to 500MW of electricity from Zambia and Mozambique, while Hwange Power Station’s Unit 7 should be feeding 300MW into the national grid before month end.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/major-boost-to-electricity-situation-as-500mw-lined-up-from-zambia-mozambique/">The Herald</a>, ZESA Holdings executive chairman Sydney Gata said that the power utility expects to import 250MW from Zambia and another 250MW from Mozambique. Said Gata:
<blockquote>
As for the current load shedding, there is a relief that is coming. We ran around and apart from getting a bit more from Kariba, we will be getting a bit more from Zambia and Mozambique.
From Zambia, we are getting 100MW and they are looking for another 50MW for us there is also a member of the Intensive Energy Users Group who is also looking for another 100MW. So we may get as much as 250MW from Zambia.
Mozambique, I was there recently and we agreed that they will run around and increase from the 60MW they have been giving us, to 100MW immediately, and there is another 150MW which could be coming from Monday next week. So Mozambique should give us 250MW maximum.
</blockquote>
Gata said if all goes according to plan, Hwange’s Unit 7 is expected to start feeding electricity into the grid before month’s end. He said:
<blockquote>
The unit itself, in terms of operating, is actually ready to generate. However, there was a delay in the equipment required to connect it to the grid.
So far we expect that it could be around the 20th of this month. It could be later, it could be earlier, but thereabout and surely by Christmas, Unit 7 should be in service, barring unforeseen situations.
</blockquote>
Unit 7 has the capacity to generate 300MW, while Unit 8 will also add another 300MW to the main grid when completed in the first quarter of 2023.

ZESA Says Electricity Situation Will Improve Soon

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Gloria Magombo on Tuesday said the commissioning of two new units at Hwange Thermal Power Station will take time.
These two new units will add 600MW to the national grid, but it may not happen soon.
Addressing the media after a Cabinet meeting in Harare yesterday, Magombo said:
<blockquote>
Commissioning of a plant is not an event, it’s a process. When we talk about commissioning Hwange 7, each part has to be commissioned independently and certified as working 100%, before they move on to the next one.
If there’s something not working properly, they have to stop, look at it, and correct it. As they do that, they look at the critical path in terms of when they can put that unit on the grid.
</blockquote>
She said the other part of commissioning is the construction of transmission power lines including a 400km line from Hwange to Bulawayo’s Insukamini sub-station.
Watch the video below for more:
<div>
<video controls="controls" height="356" preload="metadata" width="640"><a href="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Gloria-Magombo.mp4">https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Gloria-Magombo.mp4</a></video></div>
Meanwhile, On Tuesday, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) was generating only 494MW from its five power stations located in Bulawayo, Munyati, Harare, Hwange and Kariba.
On the same day, Zimbabwe was importing 50MW from Mozambique’s HCB, up to 169MW from ESKOM, 100MW from Zambia’s ZESCO, and 10MW from EDM in Mozambique.
Magombo said the country has agreed with EDM to increase supplies to 50MW, while there is an agreement for a further 150MW from Mozambique. | <a href="https://newzwire.live/govts-latest-energy-update-there-is-bad-news-and-slightly-less-bad-news/">newZWire</a>

"Commissioning Of Hwange Units 7 & 8 Will Take Time"

The government has put measures in place to ensure that there is continued power generation at various power stations across the country.
This was said by the secretary for Energy and Power Development Gloria Magombo while speaking to the media after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. She said:
<blockquote>
Various measures were reported to Cabinet which have been put in place to ensure that there is a continued power generation and supply demand-gap which has increased due to the loss of the 300MW.
One of the first strategies is to ensure that the current units which are generating in Hwange, continue to be maintained and optimised to ensure that they produce an average of 400MW to ensure energy supply security.
Over and above in the long term, over US$400 million was secured to improve capacity in Bulawayo and Hwange.
At Hwange power station, the life-extension project has started with Unit 5 which has been out due to challenges with its turbines earlier this year.
We have also been ramping up production for the small thermals in Bulawayo, Harare and Munyati to push them to 45MW.
Coal supplies are currently being expedited and there is a train with over 30 wagons to power stations to ensure that there is more production.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing an electricity crisis caused by frequent breakdowns at Hwange Thermal Power Station and water shortages in Lake Kariba which supplies water for the Kariba Hydropower station.
Meanwhile, Magombo said the new 300MW Hwange Unit 7 is expected to be synchronised to the system by end of this month. She said:
<blockquote>
Unit 8 is also being developed in parallel and we expect that it will be commissioned during the first quarter of 2023.
</blockquote>
She said an additional coal plant at Hwange going through maintenance should be running soon, thus adding an additional 15 MW to the national grid.
According to the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) website, Zimbabwe was generating 494MW on Tuesday, 6 December 2022, against a peak demand of 2 200MW. | <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/measures-taken-to-ease-power-shortage/">The Herald</a>

We Have Taken Measures To Ease Power Shortage - Govt

Zimbabwe has no immediate funding to ease the current electricity crisis, Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda revealed on Friday.
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Soda admitted that the country is facing a power crisis. He said:
<blockquote>
The government is making an intervention. This is a crisis situation and we hope through that intervention, funding will be available to apply for the additional capacity that we are looking forward to getting from our neighbours.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe’s hopes of importing additional electricity from Zambia were dampened with the neighbouring country set to commence a six-hour daily load-shedding regime from 15 December.
On Friday, Zambia’s Energy minister Peter Kapala issued a ministerial statement in Parliament saying the country’s power utility, ZESCO, will implement a load management regime aimed at rationing power generation at the Kariba Complex to avoid a complete shutdown.
Meanwhile, Soda said Zimbabwe is importing a combined 250 megawatts (MW) from South Africa, Zambia, and Mozambique.
He said additional negotiations are ongoing, with 150MW expected from Mozambique.
The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), which manages the Zambezi River on behalf of Zimbabwe and Zambia cut ZESA’s power generation capacity to 300MW down from 600MW, while ZESCO will reduce generation to a maximum of 800 megawatts until further review.
Zhemu urged consumers to reduce their load by employing energy conservation and efficiency measures. He said:
<blockquote>
The ministry urges all consumers to reduce load by employing energy conservation and efficiency measures. Lights must be switched off in all offices at night and other measures like rightsizing of equipment, use of energy savers.
</blockquote>
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Kurai Matsheza said a failure to address the power crisis will be a huge blow to manufacturers during the busiest season of the year. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200004481/no-funding-for-power-imports-minister">NewsDay</a>

No Immediate Funding For Power Imports - Soda

Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda has said the Kariba Hydro Power Station will not shut down completely but will continue to generate about 300 megawatts (MW) daily pending a review of the water situation in Lake Kariba next year.
Addressing the media at his offices in Harare late Friday afternoon, Soda said that the government has come up with immediate measures to deal with the current power challenges. He said:
<blockquote>
ZPC had indeed exhausted its water allocation for the year 2022. However, Kariba Power Station will not shut down completely, rather it will continue to generate but at a reduced capacity of up to 300 megawatts daily average pending a review of the water situation at the dam in January 2023.
This means that the power station has the latitude to vary its capacity as long as it maintains the required average capacity.
… In the immediate term, Government has come up with measures through its utility ZESA and IPPs to increase imports from the region.
Bilaterally, ZESA is currently negotiating for additional imports from the current suppliers.
More power will also be secured through the SAPP (Southern African Power Pool) market.
ZPC will ramp up production at Hwange Power Station to average 400MW and small thermals are expected to produce a combined total of 45MW.
We will give support to all IPPs to enable them to produce at maximum capacity.
</blockquote>
Soda said Unit 7 is undergoing commissioning and will start feeding power into the grid later this month.
The commissioning of Unit 8 will follow within the first three months of next year, he said.
He said several companies will soon be feeding various amounts of power into the national grid. Said Soda:
<blockquote>
Through Statutory Instrument 38 of 2022, net-metering regulations were amended to exempt from licensing a capacity of up to 5MW.
This incentive is expected to result in increased internal generation as companies set up their solar generation systems.
Caledonia Mine (12 MW), Richo Solar (1,3MW) and Guruve (1,2MW) will soon be feeding into the national grid.
</blockquote>
| <a href="https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/new-kariba-power-station-is-not-shutting-down">The Sunday Mail</a>

Kariba Power Station Is Not Shutting Down Completely - Minister

The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) says it is engaging the Government to find solutions to the current electricity crisis which threatens industrial productivity.
Domestic and industrial consumers are now going for long hours without electricity outside the normal load-shedding periods.
Last week, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), which manages the Kariba Dam on behalf of Zimbabwe and Zambia, ordered the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), a subsidiary of ZESA Holdings, from generating electricity at Kariba Dam until at least January next year due to low water levels.
CZI president Kurai Matsheza said local industry was caught “flat-footed,” by the move by ZRA to order the cessation of power generation at Kariba South Power Station. He said:
<blockquote>
It’s a situation we are engaging the authorities on, just to find a common way of coming out of this situation, but unfortunately, there are no quick answers, so we just have to keep negotiating.
We also encourage the Government to speed up whatever accommodation we can have with the Zambian authorities, for example, to be allowed to use their portion of the water in the Zambezi to continue running on our side, or alternatively, they can sell to us the electricity they would have generated.
</blockquote>
The Minister of Energy and Power Development, Zhemu Soda, is expected to give a detailed statement on the issue of Zimbabwe’s energy and power supply soon, a Cabinet spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a new unit at the Hwange Power Station was successfully turned on for the first time last week, raising hopes that the power challenges will soon be alleviated.
The unit is expected to start supplying 300 megawatts to the national grid before the end of this year. | <a href="https://newziana.co.zw/2022/11/30/local-industry-engaging-govt-on-power-challenges/">New Ziana</a>

Captains Of Industry Engaging Govt On Power Challenges

Zimbabwe is now pinning hopes of improved electricity generation on the commissioning of unit 7 at the Hwange Power Station later this year as the water at the Kariba hydroelectric plant has fallen to a critically low level while existing generators at Hwange frequently break down.
According to ZESA Holdings’ internal statistics, the dam level of usable live water for generating power had dropped to 6.6 percent as of Thursday, 17 November.
Meanwhile, three generators at Hwange were shut down on Wednesday because of boiler tube leaks and the plant was running on two units, producing 231 megawatts to the plant’s rated capacity of 920 MW.
At Kariba, three units are down for various maintenance works and the plant was producing 475 MW.
All of the country’s small power units — Harare, Munyati and Bulawayo, were shut down due to coal shortages.
Independent power producers are supplying 29 MW to the grid and 290 MW are being imported from Zambia, South Africa, and Mozambique, but the country has a deficit of 612 MW.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.businessweekly.co.zw/zim-pins-hope-on-hwange-as-lake-kariba-drains/">Business Weekly</a> in an interview, Power and Energy Development Minister Zhemu Soda said the commissioning of unit 7 at Hwange is expected to feed 300 MW. Said Soda:
<blockquote>
Our hope now lies in unit seven. (Exiting) units at Hwange are coming out anytime and it’s no longer a surprise for us because the equipment has become too obsolete and we can’t rely on them.
</blockquote>
He said the commercial production may begin later this month or early December.
Unit 8, for an additional 300MW, is expected to come online during the first quarter of next year. Added:
<blockquote>
Although we are concerned about the water level at Kariba, Zambezi River Authority (which manages the lake) has advised us that we may continue generating and are also expecting early inflows to the lake due to early rain.
</blockquote>

Govts Pins Hope On Hwange Unit 7, As Kariba Depletes

Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) vice president Tendai Biti has blamed the ZANU PF-led government for the country’s prolonged electricity challenges saying little has been done to increase electricity generation since the 1980s.
Posting on Twitter, Biti also said that the expansion of the Hwange thermal power station was an unnecessary and costly project and the country should have used the funds to harness clean sources of energy. He wrote:
<blockquote>
1)The energy situation in Zimbabwe is completely out of hand. Blackouts are killing industry, and farming &amp; negatively affecting working families. The power crises is a leadership issue. #ZANU knew Hwange Units had to be decommissioned in the 80s but did nothing on generation.
2)Of Zim s installed capacity of 2000MW from Hwange &amp; Kariba less than 700 MW are being generated at any given time. It is therefore important to attend to fresh power projects that will generate at least 4000 MW. Batoka remains the most important long-term project.
3)Hwange 7&amp;8 currently under construction with Chinese funds is simply too small &amp; overpriced. Those resources should have been invested in alternative green fuel including solar plants&amp; hydro stations in Manicaland. Zambia has done well without the pursuit of damaging fossil energy.
4)Power transmission remains the second challenge Zim’s grid is archaic &amp; needs modernization. Besides, it has limited reach. That only 30% of citizens have access to electricity 43 years after independence is a shame. Energy is a human right &amp; a development enabler.
5) A program of rural electrification is therefore as imperative as it is long overdue. But any offer or loan from anyone to assist in this direction while welcome must surely be approved by Parliament in terms of s327 of the Constitution. Lastly, Zim must deal with Demand Side issues.
6) There is a culture of energy waste, of not paying bills, or use of energy consuming gadgets.#ZANU elites do not pay energy bills on their farms &amp; #ZESA is owed billions. Prepaid meters are a must. Solar panels &amp; solar geysers should be a must for households.
7) Demand side management should also look at how #ZESA is run A few years ago it was unbundled but there is no evidence that unbundling was effective. A study must therefore be carried out to determine whether there is a case for rebundling. What is the best practice, and what works better?
8) Demand-side management must also look at the pricing model of energy. It is not sustainable that power imported at 13cents a KW is sold at 3cents a KW. But any pricing model must involve the consumer in a transparent process that avoids arbitrage or undercutting the institution.
9) Lastly Zim must deal with corruption The Dema Power project being an example The 2018 #ZESA forensic audit exposed billions that were lost through corruption. Scammers &amp; reptiles have made millions through various schemes. The energy sector including fuel is the most corrupt in Zim.
10) When everything else is said &amp; done it is clear that the energy sector like Zim itself needs a new consensus. The fact is problems are never solved by those that created them. In short, we need new leaders.
</blockquote>

Tendai Biti Says Electricity Blackouts Reflect Leadership Crisis | Full Thread

Zimbabwe requires electricity imports of between 200 megawatts (MW) and 450MW daily from regional utilities to meet its power deficit.
This was said by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Gloria Magombo. She said:
<blockquote>
Zimbabwe imports electricity from regional utilities (Eskom of South Africa, HCB of Mozambique and ZESCO of Zambia) to augment its internal generation capacity.
With a maximum demand of between 1700MW to 1850MW against an internal generation capacity of 1400MW, the country imports between 200MW and 450MW to meet this deficit.
The imports are, however, on a firm and non-firm basis and also depend on the level of internal systems demand and status/availability of generation units, especially at Hwange Power Station.
</blockquote>
The electricity challenges currently bedeviling the country were a result of many factors, among them delayed commissioning of new generation capacity, especially at Hwange, failure to maintain and rehabilitate existing infrastructure, and failure to attract significant investments through the private sector, according to Magombo.
She said during off-peak periods when demand is low, some units at Kariba Power Station (peaking power plant) are shut down and at that time no imports will be required.
Magombo urged local businesses to capitalise on the power deficit to invest in power projects. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/business/article/200003147/zim-needs-450-megawatts-of-imports-to-fill-energy-gap-magombo">NewsDay</a>

Zimbabwe Has 450 Megawatts Electricity Deficit - Magombo

Zambia’s power utility, ZESCO Limited, says there will be no load shedding in Zambia emanating from low water levels at the Kariba Dam.
ZESCO said that the existing generation capacity can provide consistent power to its local customers.
This comes after the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) said that water levels at the Kariba Dam are falling to record-low levels at 10.9 per cent usable water last week, compared to 34.1 per cent a year ago.
The development prompted energy expert Boniface Zulu to project an imminent but minimal load-shedding in Zambia.
However, speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Zambia International Mining and Energy Conference and Exhibition-ZIMEC in Kitwe, ZESCO Limited Board Chairperson Vickson N`cube told Phoenix News that the power utility is not panicking about the situation.
He said Zambia no longer relies on Kariba Dam alone and has the cushion of the 750 MW Kafue Gorge Lower Power Station that will be fully operational at the end of this month.
ZRA revealed that Kariba Dam had 10.9% of usable storage this week, compared with 34.1% a year ago.
Levels are close to those reached in the 1995/96 season, the lowest recorded since the dam was completed in 1959.
Zimbabwe and Zambia have both built extra hydropower turbines at Kariba Hydro Power Station in the past decade, which release more water downstream. | <a href="https://www.lusakatimes.com/2022/11/03/zambia-will-not-experience-load-shedding-on-account-of-low-water-levels-at-kariba-zesco/">Lusaka Times</a>

Zambia Will Not Experience Load Shedding, ZESCO Speaks On Kariba Dam Low Water Levels

Zimbabwe’s current electricity challenges are far from over as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is failing to meet growing power demands with the region experiencing a generation capacity shortfall of 5 000 MW.
Speaking at the official opening ceremony of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) offices in Harare on Monday, Energy and Power Development minister Zhemu Soda said:
<blockquote>
Of late the electricity supply Industry in the SADC region has been characterised by insufficient generation capacity to meet the growing power demand, where the current generation capacity shortfall is five thousand (5 000 MW) megawatts.
Other challenges are the lack of adequate transmission and distribution infrastructure to deliver electricity to end users, high transmission and power distribution losses; which increase the cost of supply to consumers, and limited regional trade of power due to transmission constraints and particularly along the central transmission corridor.
</blockquote>
Zhemu said solutions to the challenges require cooperation by the regional countries. He said:
<blockquote>
The region can save up to US$37 billion if coordinated planning is followed as per the estimate of the SAPP Pool Plan of 2017. 
SAPP is also working on the Regional Transmission Infrastructure Financing Facility with the objective of unlocking transmission constraints and promoting the financing and development of new transmission infrastructure.
</blockquote>
SAPP was created in August 1995 at the SADC summit held in Kempton Park, South Africa, and consists of national electricity companies in the region.
The members of SAPP have created a common power grid between their countries and a common market for electricity in the SADC region.
Meanwhile, Zhemu said that electricity demand in Zimbabwe is driven by a resurgence of mining activities and demand is growing. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200002884/sadc-failing-to-meet-growing-power-demands-zhemu">NewsDay</a>

SADC Failing To Meet Growing Power Demands - Soda

ZESA Holdings’ power distribution subsidiary, ZETDC, says the strong winds currently prevailing in some parts of the country are to blame for power cuts as they are affecting electricity transmission infrastructure.
In a public notice issued on Sunday afternoon, ZESA said it was sorry for the increased power outages and pledged to restore power in affected areas in the shortest period possible. It said:
<blockquote>
The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) would like to apologize to its valued customers nationwide for increased power outages.
This is due to increased windy conditions affecting some parts of the country leading to increased incidences of faults.
Our teams are working round the clock to ensure full restoration of service.
</blockquote>

ZESA Blames Strong Winds For Power Outages

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has given permission to ZESA to bill the country’s biggest energy consumers – the Intensive Energy Users Group (IEUG) – in foreign currency to enable the power utility to raise cash to import electricity.
ZESA imports power from Mozambique’s Electricidade de Moçambique and Hydro Cahora Bassa, ESKOM of South Africa and Zambia’s ZESCO to augment local supplies.
<a href="https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/big-energy-users-to-import-500mw">The Sunday Mail</a> reported a source as saying the exporters have been allowed to pay for electricity in foreign currency. Said the source:
<blockquote>
There is an intensive energy user group; it’s a group of exporters.
They have been allowed to pay for power in foreign currency and have that bill deducted from exports.
This will allow power to be priced in forex, to be paid in forex and to be paid in a jurisdiction where there is no foreign exchange control restriction.
Because of the shortage of power, we are now working together; exporters are ring-fencing the money.
All the exporting companies (members of IEUG) are now being made to pay for their power in foreign currency, but, at the same time, they will be assured of supply.
In return, the exporters said if there is no power, ZESA should import to supply us.
</blockquote>
RBZ governor John Mangudya confirmed the arrangement but did not give details.
IEUG chairperson Eddie Cross also confirmed the arrangement. He said:
<blockquote>
Yes, we got it. We got the authority to trade in US dollars and for members of the IEUG to pay for power from their export earnings prior to liquidation.
The current membership needs about 500MW, which is close to 30 per cent of the national demand. But the applications are still coming in.
We initially started with 70 companies and we are now getting many other companies applying for this.
</blockquote>

ZESA Bills Big Electricity Users In Foreign Currency

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has bemoaned the sub-economic tariffs it is charging consumers saying they do not match its demands which include importing power from regional players.
Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM), Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB), Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO), and Eskom from South Africa are Zimbabwe’s major suppliers of electricity.
According to ZETDC acting managing director, Howard Choga, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulation Authority (ZERA) approved a tariff of 10.63 cents per kWh.
He said the figure is being greatly depreciated when converted from the RTGS payments to US dollars to as low as 7 cents per kWh.
ZETDC is importing electricity at an average cost of 10.9 cents kWh but selling locally at 7 cents per kWh.
The power utility also purchases power from independent power producers (IPPs) at a weighted average cost of 8.6 cents per kWh while ZETDC sold at 7 cents.
Giving insights into ZETDC operations at a recent workshop held by ZERA, Choga said ZETDC now needs to charge 15 cents per kWh to be able to operate optimally. He said:
<blockquote>
The weighted average cost of imports from EDM, HCB, ZESCO, and Eskom is 10.9 cents per kWh and the cost of internal purchases from Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and Independent Power Producers have a weighted average cost of 8.6 cents per kWh but we are selling at 7 cents kWh.
Just buying at 10.96 cents and selling at 7 cents, without putting additional operational costs there, how do you think we survive, our cash flows are going south, I tell you we are surviving by not paying suppliers on time.
For many years we have been crying for a cost reflective tariff of 12.3 cents kWh but circumstances have changed especially due to borrowings that we have had to do because of the insufficiency of our cash flows, so the weighted cost of average capital has affected our tariff requirement to the extent that the tariff requirement in terms of cost reflectivity is now beyond 15 cents per kWh, that’s what we require to operate optimally.
</blockquote>
According to <a href="https://www.businessweekly.co.zw/sub-economic-tariffs-choking-zetdc/">Business Weekly</a>, Zimbabwe’s projected demand for energy is likely to reach 2 350 megawatts by 2025.

ZEDTC Pushes For Electricity Tariff Hike To 15 Cents Per kWh

President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that he will visit Mozambique and Zambia in a bid to save the country’s electricity import contracts that may be taken over by South Africa which is also facing a power crisis.
Mnangagwa’s trips follow reports that Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., the South African state-owned power utility, is “putting pressure” on Mozambique and Zambian to replace Zimbabwe as an importer of electricity from Mozambique and Zambia.
Writing in his weekly column in the State-owned The Sunday Mail weekly publication, Mnangagwa said:
<blockquote>
This week I am paying a working visit to Mozambique. In the coming weeks, I am likely to meet president [Hakainde] Hichilema of Zambia in Livingstone. Both sister countries supply us with power.
I will engage my colleagues with a view to ensuring our power imports are secure and uninterrupted.
</blockquote>
ZESA Holdings’ contracts with Mozambique’s Electricidade de Mocambique and Zambia’s ZESCO were due to expire at the end of July and South Africa was ready to replace Zimbabwe.
ZESA Holdings executive chairman Sydney Gata recently warned miners that Zimbabwe “will stand to lose heavily as these contracts are long-term and at a competitive price”.
Zimbabwe’s power utility is struggling to pay its monthly obligation of $6.3-million (R104-million) to ZESCO for the imported power.
More: <a href="https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/zimbabwean-president-in-bid-to-block-sa-from-taking-over-foreign-electricity-deals-2022-08-01">Engineering News</a>

Mnangagwa In Bid To Block SA From Taking Over Foreign Electricity Deals

Power utility ZESA Holdings’ electricity distribution unit, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has started switching off farmers across the country over the ZWL$1 billion it is owed by the farming community.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU) president, Shadreck Makombe, told Business Weekly that the disconnections will likely compromise yields, especially for winter wheat growers. Said Makombe:
<blockquote>
Farmers now experience quite some challenges and some are complaining of being switched off because there was an understanding that for those who are owing, a stop order mechanism can be done so that when they deliver their wheat to GMB (Grain Marketing Board) ZESA can thus recoup their dues.
And we thought there was an understanding in that regard. In some areas now it’s really a challenge because the power supply is quite erratic as they are being switched off.
So, we are appealing to ZESA to bear with us. There are some who are owing and we know it shouldn’t be like that but circumstances differ.
</blockquote>
But if somebody has got the wheat and then you switch off, how do you expect that person to pay and by doing so? They are even destroying the farmer.
ZETDC acting chief executive officer Howard Choga, in a separate interview, said the farmers were owing over $1 billion.
Meanwhile, Makombe said part of the electricity bills were accrued by some previous farmers who occupied the farms. He said:
<blockquote>
We are querying that amount because you would find some of the money is not necessarily of the current farmers.
So, based on the argument that some farmers who were sitting on these farms were owing, it becomes a legacy debt.
We are saying ZESA should also spruce up their debt because the figure here can be big but we were saying if you go farmer by farmer, it may not be like that.
And of course, notwithstanding the fact, we are encouraging our farmers to pay their bills because if we don’t pay energy, it’s not only an enabler but a major key player in our business.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.businessweekly.co.zw/power-utility-switches-off-defaulting-farmers/">Business Weekly</a>

ZESA Switches Off Defaulting Farmers

Zambia’s Energy Minister Peter Kapala said that the country’s power utility, ZESCO, will next month commence the exportation of 100MW electricity to Zimbabwe under a five-year deal.
In a statement published on his Facebook page, Kapala said electricity from the Kafue Gorge Lower will be exported to Zimbabwe and Namibia through contracts signed in the last few months.
Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) Acting Managing Director Howard Choga recently told local media that ZESA has to pay monthly deposits of US$6.3 million to access the electricity from Zambia. He said:
<blockquote>
We signed power import deals with Zambia a long time ago, but we had not been getting electricity from that country because of cash flow challenges.
Now, because we have prepaid, we expect this to be settled in the coming weeks and we will start receiving 100MW from Zambia. We have to prepay them a month before we receive the electricity.
</blockquote>
The Zimbabwe Power Company – ZESA’s power generation arm is currently producing 1 201MW at its five power stations against peak winter season demand of 2 200MW.
This has resulted in debilitating power cuts lasting for hours which have negatively impacted farming, manufacturing, mining and retail sectors as well as households.
More: <a href="https://www.lusakatimes.com/2022/07/27/zesco-to-commence-the-exportation-of-electricity-to-zimbabwe/">Lusaka Times</a>

Zambia Asks Zimbabwe To "Prepay" US$6.3m Monthly For 100MW Electricity

Zimbabwe’s economy is losing billions of dollars due to ongoing load shedding caused by depressed power generation.
The unscheduled power cuts are affecting not only residential consumers but commercial and industrial users who have to endure between 8 and 10 hours without electricity.
Most businesses are now resorting to using backup diesel generators which are expensive to run.
According to ZESA Holdings’ electricity generating unit, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) website, 1 238 megawatts were generated on Wednesday against a national demand of about 1 800 megawatts (MW) at peak periods, with the electricity shortfall reaching 438MW.
Kariba Hydroelectric Power Station supplied 67% of the total electricity generated across ZESA’s five power stations at 829MW while the country’s largest coal-fired plant generated 390MW.
Munyati Power Station generated 19MW.
Harare and Bulawayo Power Stations did not generate electricity on Wednesday due to breakdowns.
To augment local supplies, the State-owned power utility, ZESA, imports from South Africa’s power utility Eskom, Hydro Cahora Bassa of Mozambique, and ZESCO of Zambia.
Zimbabwe is, however, not getting adequate imports as the regional power utilities are only obliged to supply electricity if they have a surplus.
South Africa’s also battling load shedding due to depressed generation and Eskom’s power plants.
More: <a href="https://businesstimes.co.zw/electricity-crisis-worsens/">Business Times</a>

Businesses Resort To Expensive Diesel Generators As Electricity Crisis Worsens

Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda said it is embarrassing that only 20% and 40% of the country’s rural and urban areas have respectively been electrified.
Speaking in Harare on Thursday at an event where the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) availed US$1.5 million for Zimbabwe’s power generation, Soda said:
<blockquote>
According to recent statistics, the country has an electricity penetration rate of 44%. 
As a government, we are not proud of this figure considering that we have a large number of people, particularly in rural areas who lack access to modern energy services.
In fact, I am informed that electricity access levels in rural areas is 20% with the balance available to urbanites.
Although we have seen increased penetration of small ports solar systems, which l hope will be revealed in the census currently underway.
</blockquote>
UNDP Zimbabwe resident representative Mia Seppo said that the US$1.5 million will be fully allocated before the end of this year. Said Sepo:
<blockquote>
UNDP Zimbabwe is excited to have managed to mobilise a total of US$$1,5 million grant aimed at accelerating access to sustainable, affordable and clean energy in Zimbabwe.
This grant is earmarked to kick start and unlock further funding for the energy sector. 
We are expected to fully allocate and utilise the funding before the end of the year 2022 to create an enabling environment for future investments.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe generates an average of 1 200 megawatts (MW) daily against a peak demand of 2 200MW and reduces the deficit with imports from South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/04/60-of-zim-has-never-known-electricity/">NewsDay</a></h4>

80% Of Rural Zimbabwe Has Never Known Electricity

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