admin
Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
The country’s electricity consumption increased in 2022 to over 10,7 GWh (Gigawatt/hour) from the 10,19 GWh in 2021 due to improved economic activity especially in mining and agriculture.
This was said by Dr David Madzikanda, the chairman of the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA), Friday during its annual general meeting.
“Energy consumption rose to 10,710 GWh in 2022 against 10,193 GWh in 2021. The figure could have been higher were it not for energy curtailment as a result of reduced production at Kariba Power Station.
“The major consumers were in mining and agriculture,”Dr Madzikanda said.
He said they were projecting increased consumption this year due to improved production at Kariba and the coming in of Units 7 and 8 at Hwange Thermal Power Station.
Gigawatt hours are often used as a measure of the output of large electricity power stations and is calculated by dividing the annual MWh figure by 1 000. For example, if a power plant produces 90,000 MWh of electricity per year, its GWh would be 90 GWh/year.
Dr Madzikanda added that independent power producers contributed 4,5 percent of the total electricity production 2021, up from just under two percent in 2021.
Out of the 115 IPPs licenced in 2022 up from the 20 that are operational from the 96 licenced in 2021.
Online Reporter