Zimbabwe Seeks More Power Imports From Zambia And Mozambique

Zimbabwe is negotiating with Mozambique and Zambia to import 280MW of electricity to augment dwindling local supplies and reduce load shedding.

This was revealed by Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda during the Question and Answer session in the National Assembly on Wednesday. Said Soda:

We are currently in negotiations with Mozambique for an additional 180MW and also a further 100MW from Zambia.

Zimbabwe faces reduced generation capacity, with the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) only generating around 400MW at Hwange and 900MW at Kariba South from an installed capacity of 1 050MW.

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) recently announced a 12-hour load shedding schedule.

It said this was necessitated by the drastically reduced output at Hwange and Kariba power stations.

The company said it was rehabilitating the boiler-turbine-generator units to restore the 920MW capacity and add another 600MW at Hwange while at Kariba two turbines have to be shut down daily for 12 hours.

This is being done to reduce the outflow downstream of the dam wall while rehabilitation work continues on the plunge pool and the outflows from the power stations, the company said.

Zimbabwe already imports power from Mozambique and South Africa, but now seeks more from Mozambique as well as from Zambia.

More: The Herald