Zimbabwe Faces Extended Load Shedding Amid Electricity Generation Crisis 

Zimbabweans should prepare for prolonged load shedding as the country’s electricity supply falters due to failing infrastructure at Hwange Thermal Power Station and critically low water levels at Kariba Dam, according to CITE.

Prolonged Blackouts Impacting Households and Businesses

Many households are currently experiencing blackouts lasting over 18 hours, with some areas facing outages of up to 24 hours.

This situation is crippling businesses and halting productivity across the nation.

During a session in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Energy and Power Development Minister Edgar Moyo attributed the worsening crisis to dysfunction at Zimbabwe’s key power generation facilities.

His comments came in response to concerns raised by MP Engineer Leslie Mhangwa, who chairs the Energy Portfolio Committee.

Mhangwa questioned Moyo about the increasing power shortages, especially given that winter typically sees higher generation levels.

“From the statistics from Zimbabwe Power Company, currently we are generating almost the same power we were generating in winter. Yet now we are having more than 24 hours of load shedding,” Mhangwa noted.

Declining Power Generation Statistics

In his defense, Moyo disputed Mhangwa’s assessment and presented recent figures illustrating a steep decline in electricity production.

He explained:

“The power that we were generating in winter is not the same as the power being generated now. Currently, at Hwange 7 and 8, we are running at full throttle and generating 640 megawatts. At Hwange Stages 1 and 2, during winter, we were at peak capacity at 420 megawatts. Now, we are doing 260 megawatts due to breakdowns of other units.”

Moyo also highlighted the situation at Kariba Dam, stating that while they could generate up to 300 megawatts previously, they are now only able to produce 100 megawatts due to critically low water levels.

He explained:

“We were allocated 8.4 billion cubic meters of water for Lake Kariba this year but had to draw up to 500 megawatts from Kariba to meet high demand, which has significantly reduced the water levels.”

Inconsistencies in Power Generation Data

Mhangwa pressed further on inconsistencies in power generation statistics, pointing out that on certain days, output exceeded 1,100 megawatts despite ongoing load shedding. He stated:

“On August 4, 2024, we generated 1,128 megawatts; in September 2024, we generated 917; and on August 29, we generated 1,108. Today, we are supposed to have generated 1,128 but we are worse off than when we were generating less. Something is inaccurate there, Hon. Minister.”

In response, Moyo explained that daily power fluctuations are influenced by solar energy generation, which varies with weather conditions. He noted:

“Some of the power being referred to comes from solar systems, which are inherently intermittent.”

On sunny days, solar systems can generate maximum power; however, on overcast days, output decreases significantly.

A Call for Sustainable Solutions

As Zimbabwe grapples with this electricity generation crisis exacerbated by infrastructure issues and environmental factors affecting water levels at Kariba Dam, it is crucial for authorities to explore sustainable solutions.

The ongoing load shedding not only disrupts daily life but also poses significant challenges for economic recovery and growth in the country.

Addressing these issues will require urgent action and investment in both traditional and renewable energy sources to ensure a stable electricity supply for all Zimbabweans.

Source: Pindula