- Zimbabwe is likely to spend the festive season in darkness due to ongoing power outages
- The country has experienced recurring nationwide blackouts, highlighting the instability of the national grid
- Areas like Kuwadzana, Mufakose, Chitungwiza, and Dzivarasekwa are receiving electricity for only about six hours a day, with some experiencing up to three days without power
Harare-Zimbabwe is likely to face a dark festive season due to persistent power outages.
The continued nationwide blackouts and inadequate power generation, which fails to meet demand, support this prediction.
On December 17, Zimbabwe experienced one of its worst nationwide blackouts, caused by an imbalance in power on international connectors.
These connectors, such as power lines, enable countries to share energy.
Following the incident, ZESA assured that restoration efforts were largely successful, stating that "restoration to most parts of the country has been completed, except for areas under load shedding."
However, this assurance seems futile as the crisis worsens.
Another national blackout occurred on November 24, lasting 18 hours and attributed to system disturbances.
Research by Equity Axis reveals that high-density suburbs like Kuwadzana, Mufakose, Chitungwiza, and Dzivarasekwa receive electricity for only about 6 hours a day, with some areas experiencing up to 3 days of darkness.
Zimbabwe's power-producing plants, Hwange Thermal Power Station and Kariba Hydro-Electricity Power Station, have installed capacities of 1520 MW and 1050 MW, respectively.
However, water levels at Lake Kariba have depleted below 3%, resulting in an average power generation of less than 130 MW per day.
Hwange's power production is affected by aging plants and technical faults. As of December 17, power generation was below 700 MW, the lowest in over 13 months, resulting in a deficit of around 1300 MW (the country requires at least 2000 MW per day).
On the other hand, the Cahora Bassa dam in Mozambique, a crucial source of imported electricity, has reached a critical point, with its reservoir water level plummeting to 26% of its capacity, the lowest in 30 years.
Zimbabwe imports approximately 200 MW of electricity, primarily from South Africa's Eskom and Mozambique, to bridge its electricity gap.
The challenges facing Zimbabwe's power sector highlight the importance of transitioning to cleaner energies, such as solar and biogas.
Despite these challenges, Hwange Power Station's new Unit 8 is undergoing scheduled annual maintenance, which began last month.
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