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Trust Freddy Correspondent
The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has partnered with the University of Zimbabwe to find a lasting solution to the growing problem of vandalism within the energy sector.
The partnership comes as vandalism has become a major challenge for the power utility, with the company struggling to keep up with the replacement of damaged infrastructure.
In response, the two organisations will host a workshop at the UZ Innovation Hub on May 24 to address the root causes of vandalism and explore effective preventive measures.
The workshop aims to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of power and energy vandalism, facilitate knowledge exchange among stakeholders on best practices for vandalism prevention, and identify innovative strategies for combating vandalism.
Researchers, innovators, and other stakeholders have been invited to submit abstracts sharing their inputs.
According to ZETDC, some of the themes that will be explored during the workshop include legislation and policy analysis, engineering, security studies, and business sciences among others.
The power utility also revealed focus will be given to researching methods to design and construct electrical infrastructure that is more resistant to vandalism, such as using reinforced materials or deploying anti-tamper technologies.
Remote monitoring and control systems will also be discussed, to develop advanced monitoring and control systems that allow for real-time detection of tampering or vandalism attempts, enabling rapid response and mitigation.
Additionally, the partnership seeks to evaluate the existing framework and identify areas for improvement.
The two will also conduct a risk assessment and management exercise to identify vulnerabilities in electrical infrastructure and develop risk management strategies to mitigate the impact of vandalism.
“(The workshop will) . . . design and implement security protocols and procedures for safeguarding critical electrical infrastructure, including training programmes for personnel and coordination with law enforcement agencies.
“Investigate potential cyber threats to electrical infrastructure resulting from vandalism and develop cybersecurity measures to prevent unauthorised access and tampering.”
This research will also draw on the Arts and Humanities to harness the power of artistic media like visual arts, literature, and film.
These creative outlets will help raise public awareness about the consequences of infrastructure vandalism and promote a shared sense of responsibility for safeguarding critical assets.
The partnership seeks to develop actionable recommendations for ZETDC and relevant authorities to enhance security measures and enforcement efforts.
By working together, the two organisations hope to find a lasting solution to the problem of vandalism and ensure a reliable and efficient power supply for the nation.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter