The Insukamini substation in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, suffered a major technical fault, causing a nationwide power outage, disrupting businesses and daily life. The outage, which lasted until noon, resulted in a loss of production time for many businesses, particularly affecting small to medium enterprises without backup generators, which incurred substantial costs to continue operations.
The impact of the blackout was felt on the roads as well, with malfunctioning traffic lights causing delays and challenges for motorists navigating through busy intersections during the morning rush.
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) confirmed the loss of power, stating, “the national grid experienced a system surge,” caused by a fault at the Insukamini 330kv substation. They assured customers that power had been restored to most parts of the country, with technical teams working to fully reinstate services.
The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries Matabeleland Chapter president, Mr. Joseph Gunda, highlighted the detrimental effect of the power outage on industrial operations, especially in Bulawayo, where most industries were forced to shut down due to the lack of alternative power sources.
Mr. Nketa Mangoye Dlamini, the Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs programmes coordinator, emphasized how the outage adversely affected small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those with time-sensitive production schedules. For example, the peak period for the production of school uniforms was disrupted, impacting the timely delivery of orders.
Local residents also voiced their concerns about the power outage, expressing fears of food spoilage and the potential impact on essential medical supplies that require refrigeration. The blackout not only disrupted daily life but also posed significant challenges to those reliant on electricity for medical reasons.
While the government had previously made strides in improving the country’s power generation capacity, with the commissioning of new units and expansion projects contributing to a marked increase in electricity supply, the recent nationwide blackout serves as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining and safeguarding critical infrastructure.
The events surrounding the substation fault and subsequent power outage in Zimbabwe underscore the vulnerability of essential utilities and the profound impact such interruptions have on businesses, industries, and the daily lives of citizens.
