HARARE - Zimbabwe electricity supply authority (ZESA) is struggling to procure and repair equipment at Hwange Power Station that was damaged by........a series of power system disturbances, suggesting the blackouts will not stop any time soon.
“It is the equipment damage that has resulted in delays, since most of the required spares are out of stock and have to be sourced from suppliers overseas and South Africa,” read a recent statement from ZESA.
In the past few weeks Zimbabweans have endured load shedding for more than 12 hours at a time, and many business operators are complaining about set backs.
The situation has been compounded by the designs of the thermal power station.
“Owing to the system designs of the thermal power stations where they have to be shut down over several hours. Hwange Power Station experienced 25 instant shut downs in the last 45 days resulting in equipment damage,” read the report.
Load shedding is expected to continue because the power utility now needs money to procure the equipment. Currently there is a mismatch between the national demand of 2 200MW and the available electricity of 1 035MW.
Kariba Power Station is generating 745MW while the country is importing 200MW. Harare, Munyati and Bulawayo Thermal Power are all not generating electricity.
Post published in: Africa News