The government is taking steps to address the impact of load shedding on production in industries and household usage by increasing electricity imports from Mozambique and South Africa.
The country has been grappling with rampant load shedding lasting up to 16 hours a day due to reduced power generation at Kariba dam and maintenance work at Hwange Units 7 and 8.
Minister of Energy and Power Development, Edgar Moyo, disclosed that the government is in discussions with neighbouring countries to alleviate the electricity deficit.
“We are also working on bringing in more inputs into the country, although they are a drain on our foreign currency situation. We are currently negotiating with our neighbouring countries and have been able to raise our imports between South Africa and Mozambique,” said Moyo.
Emphasizing the long-term strategy, Moyo explained, “In the medium to long term, the idea is to increase our solar outlay because our solar is the easiest of the fruits that we have. We are looking at different independent power producers who have presented their projects and some of them are currently ongoing. We think that by the beginning of the first quarter of 2024, we should be able to reap significant benefits from our solar projects.”
Moyo also outlined plans to repair and service Units 1 to 6 in Hwange, aiming to enhance power generation and efficiency within the units.
Addressing concerns raised by Leslie Mhangwa of the Committee on Energy, Minister Moyo acknowledged the potential system instability of solar power and underscored the importance of storage facilities such as batteries. He highlighted the government’s engagement with the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to acquire storage facilities and conduct feasibility studies for floating solar systems on Kariba.
Despite hydrological challenges at Kariba, the energy minister expressed optimism about harnessing the dead water in Kariba through the installation of floating solar systems.
As the government explores diverse solutions to the electricity deficit, the efforts to increase solar generation and engage in regional imports mark significant steps towards mitigating the impact of load shedding on the economy and livelihoods.
