Zhemu Soda: It’s difficult to give load shedding schedule at the moment
Energy Minister Zhemu Soda has told Parliament that it is difficult for ZESA to issue a schedule advising citizens about load shedding, arguing that Hwange Power Station is too old to allow such predictions.
Zimbabweans are enduring load shedding of as much as 16 to 20 hours per day, due to unreliable power supplies from the country’s two main power stations (Hwange and Kariba) which were built before independence.
Unplanned load shedding is reportedly affecting production in industries, which has resulted in some operating on diesel generators for the entire day.
Minister Soda was answering a question from Dangamvura-Chikanga legislator Prosper Mutseyami who wanted to know why the power utility had stopped issuing load shedding timetables.
In his response the Minister said timetables are difficult because some of the outages are unplanned.
‘’At the moment, it is very difficult to come up with a schedule for load shedding in as much as in power curtailment which happens from time to time mainly occasioned by the performance of Hwange Power Station.
‘’Hwange Power Station because of its age, you cannot plan well based on the capacity that will be coming from Hwange Power Station. We have unplanned outages that are occurring from Hwange Power Station. You would be surprised like I have already indicated that from Hwange today in the morning, we were obtaining a capacity of 387 megawatts but you would be surprised to hear that by the end of the day, we would be down to 100 megawatts.
‘’The four units that are currently on service, some would have gone out of service. So, the power station is not reliable at the moment because of the age. We will soon be availing load shedding schedule after the coming in of Unit 7 and 8.
‘’If there is going to be any deficit after the two units would have been brought into service, then obviously ZESA will have to give a load shedding schedule. As we speak, it is very difficult to come up with one because of the performance of Hwange Power Station. However, I want to promise this House that soon after Unit 7 and 8 are through, then for whatever capacity deficit that we will obtain, a schedule will be provided,’’ he said.–
Zhemu Soda: It’s difficult to give load shedding schedule at the moment
