Vusumuzi Dube
Harare Bureau
The load-shedding being experienced countrywide is set to ease as a technical fault that had been experienced at Hwange Power Station Unit 8 since last week has been resolved. The unit is now awaiting synchronisation, while a cocktail of other measures to end power outages for good have been put in place.
Apart from the importation of electricity to cover up for hydrology challenges at Kariba Dam, ZESA Holdings is now installing a utility-scale battery energy storage system which will provide three hours of 600 megawatts during morning and evening peak periods.
Also to offset pressure from farms, especially during the winter wheat seasons, ZESA will be installing 150MW of solar at productive farms while ferrochrome companies that consume the majority of electricity will now be producing their own power.
Repowering of Hwange Units 1 to 6 is set to boost current output from 485mw to 840 and investment of additional four new units with 1 200MW capacity is also on the cards with an agreement being finalised with Indian firm Jindal.
Addressing the media yesterday, ZESA executive chairman Dr Sydney Gata said the utility is implementing a raft of interventions on the back of the blueprints NDS1 and NDS2 as power supply is a critical enabler for Zimbabwe’s economic recovery, stabilisation and growth.
Dr Gata said the El Nino-induced drought also worsened the power production with the Kariba South Hydro plant curtailed from 1 050 MW to an average of 272MW, following the directive from the Zambezi River Authority for Zimbabwe and Zambia to reduce generation.
He said the company has been facing a power supply shortfall of up to 540 MW during the high-demand winter period with the total power supply averaging 1 310 MW against a demand of 1 850MW at peak.
“However, we experienced a fault at the Hwange Power Station Unit 8 last week and we had to switch it off.
“These are normal technical hitches that happen during the infancy of any new plants and I’m glad to notify you that our engineers have resolved this and we expect to synchronise the unit to be back online soon,” he said.
Dr Gata said Zimbabwe will soon produce over 3 300 MW additional electricity while in the medium term anticipating reverting to higher production of around 700 MW from Kariba as the water flows into the dam normalise in coming years.
“ZESA will install a utility-scale battery energy storage system of 1800 MWh (1.8GWh) which will provide 3 hours of 600 MW during morning and evening peaks. This will substantially reduce load shedding, besides providing some benefits to system operations,” he said.
“This project is at the procurement stage. The energy to charge the batteries will be supplied or procured off-peak. Jindal of India will invest in an additional 4 new units at Hwange introducing 1 200 MW of new capacity. Feasibility studies for these have commenced.”
Dr Gata said ZESA is finalising the agreement for the repowering of Hwange Units 1 to 6 with Jindal of India.
“This will see an improvement of consistent output from the current average of 485 MW to 840 MW. The programme will be executed unit by unit in the next 36-48 months, with work having commenced on Unit 5, using internal resources,” he said.
Dr Gata said ZESA has entered agreements with ferrochrome companies who have been enjoying a relatively low tariff over the years to supply their own power in collaboration with ZESA playing a balancing role.
“Construction work has already started at one site targeting to produce 300 MW of thermal power in Hwange, with the first 100 MW coming on stream by mid-2025.
“Construction work will commence this Q3 on a 720 MW thermal power station by one of the ferrochrome companies for self-supply and supply to other ferrochrome companies,” he said.
“Ferrochrome companies will be investing in renewable energy, solar and wind, commencing this year. In total, smelting companies have reached an advanced stage for construction of a total of 300 MW of solar and 100 MW of wind power.”
Dr Gata said as a way of supporting production by farmers, farming load has been prioritised when power generation is not adequate to meet demand.
“ZESA Holdings is mobilising financing for the installation of about 150 MW of solar power at productive farms. This will ease the demand from farming load on the system, and at the same time allow farmers to feed excess energy to the grid,” he said.
Dr Gata said ZESA is preparing several sites for deployment of its solar power generation with 400 MW having been developed while studies are being taken to bankability stage and these will be developed through several strategies including partnerships.
Dr Gata said the utility is implementing measures to increase power supply with additional imports to augment local supply and interventions to restore capacity at Hwange Power Station Units 1 and 2 that have been out due to forced outages.
“Hwange Power Station’s ongoing Repowering Programme is a significant initiative aimed at enhancing the station’s reliability and output. With this investment (US$800 million), the project is set to upgrade Units 1 to 6, ensuring increased capacity, and reliability, and extending the operational life of the units by 15 to 20 years.
“Currently the station is maintaining a commendable output of 485MW, even as Unit 5 is being upgraded. The completion of Unit 5 repowering effort is strategically scheduled for April 2025, which will bolster the station’s capacity in preparation for the high demand during the winter peak season,” said the ZESA executive chairman.
As part of ensuring food security in the country, Dr Gata said ZESA has been prioritising power to the winter wheat farmers.
“Ring-fenced power for these farmers has been increased from 100MW to 150 MW starting August 2024. The farmers therefore have been spared from load shedding, except in instances of technical faults.
“Furthermore, to increase reliability of supply, there has been a reinforcement of the network and installation of switch gear for the winter wheat farmers,” he said.
Dr Gata said electricity imports have been reduced due to lack of capacity to service the arrears with consumers owing the utility ZIG5,7 billion in unpaid bills.
‘’We want to encourage all customers to pay up their bills. We have embarked on a disconnection blitz to ensure that those who pay for electricity get the service due to them.’’
Dr Gata told the media that continuous vandalism of electricity infrastructure is hampering ZESA operations countrywide.
Vandalism cases have been on the rise. For the five years to June, 2024, a total of 7 186 cases have been recorded and this translates to a cost of US$24,4million.
This includes vandalism and theft of copper and aluminium conductors, cables, transformer oil, pylons and transformers.
Online Reporter