Zimbabweans have been urged to use electricity sparingly as the country’s electricity grid remained constrained, according to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company.
The company said due to depressed generation on the grid coupled by increased electricity demand as a result of increased economic activities, the grid remained under pressure.
“Our engineers are working around the clock to ensure full restoration of services,” said a statement by the company this week.
As Zimbabwe’s grid struggles with increased electricity demand, as new housing projects are added, the government is emphasising the need for renewable energy and for thermal solar water heaters in homes and buildings.
Zimbabwe has in the past endured severe electricity blackouts – known locally as load shedding – that last up to 18 hours as a result of drought reducing dam levels at its main hydropower plant and breakdowns of coal-fired generators.
While Zimbabwe is on a drive to boost solar power – to cut electricity import costs and combat climate change – renewable suppliers, energy experts and builders warn that the expense of putting such systems into place is a barrier to their use, writes Reuters.
Lawrence Mashungu, a climate change expert at the ministry of environment, water and climate, said the government was not offering funds for people to install solar heaters but “was providing advice” about their cost-saving merits.
The Hwange Thermal Power Station is the country’s biggest power plant with an installed capacity of 920 megawatts, but suffers frequent breakdowns due to ageing equipment. It’s currently undergoing an expansion to add 600 megawatts.
Although the southern African nation has an installed capacity of 2 100 megawatts it generates an average of 1 200 megawatts and meets shortfalls through imports.
In June, Zimbabwe’s state-owned electricity transmission company ramped up blackouts due to a technical fault at the thermal power station in the country’s west.
IOL