By 
Zimbabweans are bracing themselves for increased load shedding this festive season due to frequent breakdowns at Hwange Thermal Power Station,the situation is expected to worsen with the rainy season, which typically brings more electrical faults.
Energy Minister Edgar Moyo confirmed that the aging units at Hwange are contributing to the rise in blackouts.
He was responding to legislators who raised concerns about the unending load-shedding during the Question and Answer session in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
“The frequency of blackouts has increased”.
“First as a result of the old and antiquated equipment in units one to six at Hwange which we are working on where we have signed a deal with a company from India — Jindal, which is going to start on the repowering exercise beginning early next year. That is one way of reducing the frequency of those blackouts.
Secondly, we are getting into the rainy season where we experience lightning, wind — our infrastructure is going to be affected. We have been talking of a strategy on how to quickly respond to that”.
The country’s energy crisis has prompted calls for urgent action. With usable water levels in Lake Kariba dropping dramatically from 11.59 billion cubic meters (17.90% capacity) in 2023 to 2.89 billion cubic meters (4.46% capacity) this year, finding alternative solutions is crucial.
Comments