Power generation to drop at Zambezi River

THE next six months will be crucial for the country's ability to meet domestic and industrial demand for electricity.

This is because power generation from the Kariba Gorge will drop by more than 400 Mega Watts (MW) between now and year-end due to low water levels in the Kariba dam following poor rainfall in the preceding rainy season.

Zimbabwe Shares the Zambezi power generation at the Zambezi River with the neighbouring Zambia.

Times of Zambia reported that water levels in the Kariba have dropped from 45 billion cubic litres to 33 billion litres forcing the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) to ration the allocation of the resource for power generation by 10 per cent.

Normal electricity generation is only expected to resume after the onset of the 2015-2016 rainy season.

In the meantime we have to adjust to intermittent load shedding. I have not written this week's edition to complain about load shedding but to emphasise the need for this country to explore other sources of energy other than hydro.

Zambia consumes just below 2,000 MW of electricity per annum but 99 per cent of it is hydro generated.

With the state of affairs at Kariba Gorge, one of the resolutions would be for the country to import surplus electricity to stabilise demand.

We have two months of winter ahead of us meaning that the use of energy intensive household equipment will rise resulting in the scramble for electricity.

This is one challenge that could have been mitigated if there were alternative sources of electricty to cater for the over 400 MW lost. The challenge goes beyond that as even though the extent to which the deficit would affect mining operations is yet to be ascertained, erratic electricity supply will adversely affect the safety of mine employees, infrastructure and production.

Zesco and the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) must ensure that the impact of the possible shortfall in power generation is mitigated as much as possible.

Before I delve into the alternative sources of energy I have in mind, it is necessary to state that our investments in hydro electricity generation can still be explored owing to the amount of water we have in this country.

It is only now after the first five decades of independence that we have heard of the decentralisation of power generation stations away from the Kariba Gorge.

The Rural Electrification Authority (REA) can be the government agent in this regard by setting up power plants, even through joint ventures in the far flung areas where untapped waters are located.

Investment in energy production is expensive but there is the alternative of opening up this sector to private companies both local and international.

There is need to encourage the growth of Independent Power Producers (IPP's) to participate in the industry and set up power plants in both urban and rural areas.

Apart from the much considered solar route, heavy fuel oil can also be utilised to generate electricity and this is where companies like Ndola Energy are making it big.

But there is need to for these entities to extend their presence to far flung areas.

Government should sustain funding the state power utility so that projects of increasing power generation go beyond the current rate for the country to mitigate electricity deficits.

Zesco on the other hand should ensure that as its power generation capacity increases, consumers access the commodity at an affordable rate.