Zimbabwe gets 150mw power boost

Zimbabwe is edging closer to electrical power sufficiency following the completion of the Kariba South Extension Project Unit 7 which has added 150 megawatts to the national grid.

The initial 150 megawatts will come from the Unit 7 of the Kariba South Extension Project while a further a 150 megawatts is expected to come onto the grid, from Unit 8 by mid-March next year.

The Minister of Energy and Power Development Simon Khaya Moyo said the Zimbabwe Power Company on Monday started a seven-day test run of the 300 megawatt power station.

 "We are really delighted by the new developments and we hope this is the start of good things to come," said Khaya Moyo.

Minister Khaya Moyo says the Kariba South Extension Project is expected to ease power imports, save foreign currency and increase efficiency for productive sectors.

"The new dispensation is therefore happy over the latest developments to unlock capital for industries," he added.

The Kariba South Extension Project which is being undertaken by a Chinese firm, Sino-hydro, comes at a time when the country's power utility ZESA Holdings is working on policies to solve power deficits that are costing the nation an average of US$10 million on imports each week.