adminIn a statement yesterday, Zesa western region general manager Mr Lovemore Chinaka said the exercise would be done in phases across the region.
“We will soon start exchanging incandescent bulbs with energy saving bulbs. This exercise is free of charge and will involve the exchange of working incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps. After the removal of the incandescent lamps, they will be collected for disposal,” said Mr Chinaka.
“The exercise will be done in phases right across the region and will commence in the Bulawayo suburbs of Nkulumane, Nketa, Emganwini, Entumbane, Mpopoma, Njube and Emakhandeni.”
Mr Chinaka urged residents to cooperate with the power utility’s installation teams, saying the energy savers last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
“The advantages of using energy savers are that they last 10 times longer than the incandescent bulbs and they use 80 percent less electricity. They also reduce load shedding as power is saved through their use.
“We will be sending teams to people’s houses to fit the energy saving lamps. The teams will be in uniform and carrying identity cards. It is important for members of the public to help the power utility save power by allowing appointed installers to enter their houses for this exercise,” said Mr Chinaka.
Zesa public relations manager Mr Fullard Gwasira said the power utility was expected to distribute more than five million fluorescent bulbs countrywide.
“We expect to distribute 5 500 000 compact fluorescent bulbs with a power saving of 200 megawatts which is almost the amount of electricity enough to supply Bulawayo, which uses 220 megawatts of power.
“Our roll out programme is geared towards primarily domestic users and State-run institutions and the major criteria we are going to use free exchange for the old power hungry incandescent types for the energy saving bulbs,” said Mr Gwasira.
He said the use of the compact fluorescent bulbs would play an integral role in the country’s economy, as it would spare all the economic sectors from rampant load shedding.
The more than five million energy saver bulbs to be distributed countrywide have a 10 percent power saving of the country’s 2 200 megawatts requirement.
Mr Gwasira said consumers stood to enjoy the benefits of using the compact fluorescent bulbs as they have a longer life span compared to the general incandescent bulbs and also do not consume more power thus users would save their cash.
Compact fluorescent bulbs use one-fifth to one-third of electric power, and last eight to fifteen times longer.
A compact fluorescent bulb has a higher purchase price than an incandescent lamp, but can save more than five times its purchase price in electricity costs over the lamp’s lifetime.
Recently a subsidiary of Zesa, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company, put a tender for installation of more than three million compact fluorescent bulbs in its western region, which covers Bulawayo and surrounding areas as well as for Harare .
In the western region 1 346 760 bulbs are set to be installed for 134 676 households and 1 937 720 bulbs covering 193 772 households are set for Harare.
Online Reporter