Published: 4 hours ago

ZESA Holdings has mobilised US$12 million to purchase electricity from the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) in a strategic move aimed at mitigating potential power shortages during the festive season.

The initiative comes as the utility undertakes a 35-day Class C maintenance programme on Unit 8 at Hwange Thermal Power Station, which will be followed by similar work on Unit 7. The maintenance, involving comprehensive inspection, repair, and component replacement, is essential to ensure the long-term reliability of Zimbabwe's flagship power generation units.

Speaking to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development in Hwange on Saturday, ZESA acting CEO Engineer Cletus Nyachowe said the US$12 million fund will allow the utility to buy energy on the SAPP day-ahead market, enabling flexible and responsive procurement based on domestic generation shortfalls.

"These units are the backbone of our national grid, providing more than 50 percent of baseload power. Maintaining them is critical to prevent prolonged outages," Engineer Nyachowe said.

The two 300-megawatt units, commissioned in 2023, are considered more reliable than hydro-generation, which is susceptible to droughts. Unit 8 will be taken offline first, with Unit 7 scheduled sequentially to minimise disruption to the national supply.

To complement regional imports, ZESA is optimising local generation. Engineer Nyachowe highlighted prudent water management at Kariba South Hydro Power Station, which is expected to boost production and reduce load-shedding. Additionally, a strengthening local currency is anticipated to aid foreign currency procurement for critical imports and maintenance.

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) acting managing director Engineer Fannie Mavhondo confirmed that extra measures are in place to cushion the grid, including generating an additional 120MW during the maintenance period. He explained that the timing coincides with the traditional dip in electricity demand during the Christmas holidays, helping balance supply.

"Combined with other optimisations, the additional 200MW should allow us to manage the grid without a significant increase in power cuts," Engineer Mavhondo said.

While these measures are designed to navigate the immediate maintenance period, ZESA leadership emphasised that long-term solutions require expanding generation capacity. Plans for Units 9, 10, 11, and 12 at Hwange, alongside solar power projects, are expected to add a transformative 600MW to the national grid, diversifying Zimbabwe's energy mix and enhancing resilience.
- The Herald

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