• ZPC is now generating 49% of the peak demand requirements
• A total of 2,303.6 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity were imported by Zimbabwe
• ZESA has applications of at least 2350 Mw for extra electricity

Harare - Hwange Unit 7 power output first achieved full capacity of 335Mw at 09:27, 30^th March 2023. Since that time, the combined output of all the power plants has exceeded 950Mw. Last week, the Kariba South Power Station continuously produced 350MW against its maximum potential of 1050MW.

At 2200Mw peak, ZPC is now generating 49% of the peak demand requirements. The total electricity produced by all power stations was 1071Mw, of which 708Mw came from Hwange's 7 units. Units 1-6 at Hwange would produce, at the very best, between 350Mw and 450Mw before Hwange Unit 7, therefore the impact from the new unit is already being fully incorporated into the grid.

With South Africa, the most industrialised country in the continent facing a severe shortage of electricity pressure is mounting on members of the Southern Africa Power Pool to reallocate the supplies that ZESA had secured due to the debts that ZESA have

Zimbabwe, facing perennial power shortages, received the bulk of its electricity imports from South Africa and Zambia in the fourth quarter of last year, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) said Friday.

According to ZIMSTAT director-general Taguma Mahonde, the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (ZESCO) and South Africa's Eskom each accounted for 32.4% and 38.4%, respectively, of the imported electricity during the fourth quarter.

A total of 2,303.6 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity were imported by Zimbabwe in 2022; of these, 681.1 GWh were imported during the fourth quarter, an increase of 4.7% from the third quarter's importation of 650.7 GWh, Mahonde said.

ZIMSTAT reports that 1,024.2 GWh, or 57%, of Zimbabwe's total fourth-quarter output of 1,796.9 GWh, was produced by Kariba Power Station. Due to outdated power-producing equipment and a lack of foreign currency to pay for electricity imports, Zimbabwe is experiencing severe power shortages.

On the other hand, ZESA has applications of at least 2350 Mw for extra electricity and this is more than the country’s current capacity. Most of these applications are from the mining sector which needs power for operations and expansion projects. Among these is the Dinson steel project which alone needs over 500Mw immediately for its first phase.

Power cuts have affected business operations and resulted in heavy reliance on generators and other alternative power sources which have increased operating expenses and weakened profits. Firms like Willdale are hoping that Hwange Unit 7 will aid them in strengthening their bottom line in the coming quarter.

However, the 300Mw that Unit 7 has added to the grid will help improve the power supply but it will not be the end of power shortages for consumers and businesses facing long hours of load shedding.

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