After almost 5 years of continuous electricity supply, the Zimbabwe Electricity and Supply Authority (ZESA) has introduced a 10-hour load-shedding schedule in most parts of the country.
The blackouts come as a result of reduced power generation caused by dilapidated infrastructure and low water levels in Kariba Dam.
The power supply company has notified that the load shedding will be implemented during the morning and evening peak period of 5 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 10 pm, however, the durations could even be longer if power generation further falls
ZESA spokesperson Fullard Gwasira revealed that Power generation at Kariba will remain low until there are significant inflows. He said:
We had very little in terms of rainfall influence into the lake and we have reached a point whereby the power generation has scaled down, if we do not scale down we may have to shut down the entire situation around October because we won’t be having water.
Kariba is a hydro station and requires water so up until there are significant inflows into the lake the current generation pattern will subsist.
The patterns that we depend on are not from Zimbabwe, it is from Zambia and DRC. Their significant rainfall upkeep should be able to rejuvenate the situation as the year progresses.
-Sunday News
