Sikhumbuzo Moyo [email protected]
ZESA Holdings has announced a planned maintenance outage of Hwange Thermal Power Station’s Units 7 and 8, starting today (Sunday), as the power utility moves to improve the reliability and efficiency of its generation capacity.
In a statement, the company said the maintenance programme would commence on 15 November, with Unit 7 expected to return to service on 4 January 2027, while Unit 8 is scheduled to resume generation on 26 January 2027.
The utility said the exercise was part of its routine asset management strategy aimed at sustaining plant performance, improving operational reliability and ensuring the continued availability of generating units for the national grid.
The temporary reduction in generation capacity is likely to put pressure on electricity supplies, although ZESA said it had put in place measures to mitigate the impact and maintain stable power supplies during the maintenance period.
The measures include increasing generation at Kariba Power Station during peak demand periods while managing water levels responsibly, as well as drawing electricity from regional suppliers through the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
ZESA said it was also securing additional generation capacity from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) through signed power purchase agreements and adding renewable energy to the national supply mix through solar power projects being connected to the grid.
The utility said these interventions would be complemented by typically lower electricity demand during this period of the year.
“Customers are encouraged to use electricity efficiently during this period, and supply interruptions should be reported to our National Contact Centre on 704,” said the utility.
ZESA said it remained committed to delivering reliable and sustainable electricity to consumers, adding that the maintenance programme was essential in strengthening the long-term reliability of the national power system.
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