Bulawayo Council wants power station back

Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority is set to lose the Bulawayo Power Station to the City Council if current negotiations between the government and the local authority materialise.

"We want ZESA to bring back the Bulawayo Power Station to the council so that the city electricity's high costs can be reduced. Representations have already been made to government," said the Mayor, Thaba Moyo.

"The issue of transferring the power station has been debated in parliament. It was decided that local authorities which owns power station should repossess them and generate their own electricity," he said.

Last month, the Harare City Council also demanded the Harare Power Station back from ZESA. The city council accuses the power utility of running down the power station. The Bulawayo thermal power station became part of ZESA in 1987 after the amalgamation of all the Local Authority Electricity Undertakings.

The council's decision was hardened early this after ZESA disconnected electricity to Tower Block and the city council over a debt of more than $20 million.