The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has re-introduced brutal load-shedding schedules after it was forced to cut its power generation at the key Kariba plant.
This is expected to see Zimbabwean having to contend with longer periods without power.
The Kariba Lake is designed to operate between levels 475.50m and 488.50m (with 0.70m freeboard) for hydropower generation.
The Lake level has steadily been decreasing, due to low inflow and reduced rainfall activity on and around the lake closing the period under review at 477.69m (15.22% usable storage) on 4th March 2024, compared to 477.61m (14.65% usable storage) recorded on the same date last year.
This forced the Zambezi River Authority to reduce water allocations to Zimbabwe and Zambia for power generation.
Zimbabwe’s energy shortages have been further exacerbated by obsolete electricity generation equipment.
Zwnews
