The Sunday News
Roberta Katunga, Senior Business Reporter
POWER generation is expected to fall by 25 percent this year compared to last year mainly due to the reduced generation at Kariba Power Station which has gone down due to low water levels in Lake Kariba.
Zimbabwe Power Company managing director Engineer Noah Gwariro said this year’s generation is seen at 7 251,9 GigaWatts-hours (GWh) compared to last year’s figures of 9 752,5 GWh.
He said the reduced production target presented an urgent need to mitigate against the water shortage in Kariba by increasing output from thermal stations. The country’s main thermal power generator plants include Hwange
Thermal Power Station and three small thermal power stations, Munyati in Kwekwe, Harare and Bulawayo.
“This is as a result of reduced water allocation at Lake Kariba which has curtailed power generation to a maximum average of 475MW and this situation presents an urgent need to mitigate against the water shortage at the lake by increasing and stabilising the output from the thermal stations through various initiatives which we have put in place,” said Eng Gwariro.
Last year, Energy and Power Development Minister Samuel Undenge said power output from Kariba, which dropped from 750MW in August 2015 to current levels of 475MW, would plunge further to a meagre 280MW if water levels do not improve.
According to the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), the water levels at Kariba have sharply declined on a year-on-year basis.
“The Kariba Lake was created and designed to operate between levels 475,50 metres and 488,50m, with 0,70m freeboard at all times,” said ZRA in a statement. “The Lake levels continued declining, and closed at 477,95m on 7th December 2015, which is still lower than the level that was recorded last year (481,79m) on the same date.”
Eng Gwariro said some of the measures meant to address the Kariba situation included return of service at Harare Power Station by April, GTX replacement at Kariba Power Station, as well as boiler plant rehabilitation at Bulawayo and Munyati small thermal power stations.
“The expansion projects are a key priority for ZPC, and we remain committed towards their successful completion.
The Kariba South Extension project is progressing well, and is currently at 41 percent from date of implementation.
All audit excavations have been completed, and manufacturing of electro-mechanical equipment is in progress in China. Some of the equipment has already been delivered to site, for example, the crane rail which was delivered in January and is being installed in the turbine house. Draft tube material has also been delivered to sight and is being assembled,” said Eng Gwariro.
Speaking on other projects that are underway, Eng Gwariro said topographical surveys and geotechnical works for the power plant had been completed at Hwange Power Station for the 600MW expansion project while geotechnical works for transmission works were in progress.
He said ZPC was working towards fulfilling conditions precedent to receive the first drawdown of the loan facility from China Exim Bank.
“Contract negotiations are taking place for the Munyati repowering project, and fundraising for the Harare Power Station is in progress. Bulawayo Power Station received an $87 million line of credit from the India Exim Bank in October last year and we await the list of pre-qualified companies to be sent to the Government of Zimbabwe by India Exim Bank, thereafter the project will undergo a competitive bidding process through the Government of Zimbabwe,” said Eng Gwariro.
“EPC works and contract signing for the Deka pipeline have been completed and refurbishment works by local contractors are in progress.” The Government is on record saying power supplies will begin to ease in 2017 if on-going power plant expansion projects funded by China are completed on time. China committed to invest nearly US$4 billion in the country’s energy sector as Zimbabwe looks East for capital intensive investment. The country’s existing power stations are currently generating less than 1 000MW against peak demand of 2 200MW.
