'Power shortages will end in 2023' | Enough electricity for Christmas secured

• Published date: 12 December 2022
• Publication title: The Sunday Mail

THE authorities will take extraordinary measures, including the removal of all barriers hindering investment in the energy sector, to ensure that Zimbabwe does not face severe power shortages next year, President Mnangagwa has said.

This comes as top officials have said Zimbabweans can look forward to a bright Christmas as the country is expected to have enough electricity for the festive holidays due to the coming on stream of Hwange Unit 7, fresh power imports from Mozambique and reduced consumption from business and industry.

Writing in his column for this publication, the President said Government is intensifying efforts to boost power generation through a raft of measures, including funding the repair of antiquated generators at the Hwange Thermal Power Station and immediately opening up the sector to new investors.

He said Government will facilitate accelerated entrance of new players and enhance power generation from non-hydro power sources in a development geared towards climate-proofing electricity generation currently beset by water shortages at Lake Kariba.

'Extraordinary measures are needed and will be taken in the coming year. With the US$310 million, we now have to refurbish and replace old Generators 1 to 6 at Hwange, coupled with the coming on stream of Generators 7 and 8, early next year, we should see an appreciable improvement in power supply early in the coming year.

'We must now plan for our power generation and supply as if Kariba is discounted from our energy supply matrix, so we have at least 2 000 megawatts from non-hydro power sources. That way, we weather-proof our energy sector and with it, our whole Economy. I have already instructed Government to remove all and any entry barriers to new investments in the energy sector.'

President Mnangagwa said the irony of the current power shortages is that this challenge has been bred by success recorded in growing the economy and attracting new investments.

'The rapid growth and expansion in both mining and industry, coupled with new investment projects across sectors, has increased demand for power, created a clear mismatch between power generation and supply on the one hand, and power demand and distribution on the other.'

He said nature has also caused challenges at the Kariba hydro plants, which are Zimbabwe's biggest source of power.

'As I write, Kariba's power generation capacity has drastically fallen from its installed capacity of 1 100 megawatts to a mere 100 megawatts. Our capacity for...