Zimbabwe set for massive power blackouts

By Myleen Sibanda | Nehanda Business |

Zimbabweans are set to endure a miserable festive season of blackouts after the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) announced a massive load shedding programme starting this Monday until the beginning of next year.

In an emergency Power Supply Update released over the weekend, Zesa spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira, said the power cuts would be necessitated by an extensive maintenance programme at Hwange and Kariba power stations.

“There will be an increase in load-shedding outside the publicised schedules from Monday 26 November due to a maintenance exercise at Unit 2 of Kariba Power Station,” he said. This be completed within a period of 18 days.

Gwasira said “The power supply situation will be compounded by Unit 3 of Kariba Power Station that will be taken out on 15 December 2012 for a period of six weeks for further technical repairs.”

“Thereafter, the remaining units 1, 4, 5 and 6 will be out one by one at a time for a six-week period each for further technical repairs.” Gwasira said more maintenance work would also be done at Hwange Power Station.

“Unit 1 of Hwange Power Station will be taken out on 7 December 2012 for a 20-day maintenance period,” he said. Gwasira urged consumers to use the available power sparingly to minimise the effects of load-shedding.

So why have they picked the festive season?

The original plan was to carry out maintenance between April and May, but Gwasira said they realised it was the winter peak period and so they postponed to December when demand is low after most companies close for the holidays.