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ZESA to increase load shedding hours
05 Sep 2019 at 08:56hrs | Views
ZESA Spokesperson Fullard Gwasira says the power utility company will be implementing Stage 2 load-shedding after there was a breakdown at one of the units in Hwange.
The Stage means Power will be off for a long time that what has been happening.
Said Gwasira, "Zesa is implementing stage 2 load shedding due to a technical fault at Hwange & the loss of one of the Stage 2 Units at 1700hrs. This lead to a loss of about 160MW. Load shedding hours & affected areas have extended beyond the publicized schedule."
Gwasira said the electricity that is being purchased from South Africa's Eskom is not enough to service the whole country.
"We are getting power from Eskom up to 400MW. The major challenge is that the gap being left by Kariba is progressively getting bigger. From 1050MW down to 360MW. It's this difference in addition to plant breakdown which is driving load shedding.
"Hwange power stage was built in stages. Stage 1 has 4 x120MW Units, stage 2 was built later and has 2 x220MW Units. Stage 3 is currently under construction and has 2 x 300MW units."
However, South African Engineer Matshela Koko said, "Zimbabwe is not receiving power from Eskom during the peak periods. Electricity from Eskom during the peak is 28 US cents per kilowatt-hour. Zesa considers 28cents very expensive and elects to curtail power to its customers than buy power from Eskom during the peak periods
"The total direct and indirect cost to the Zimbabwean economy for not having electricity is estimated at USD600M a week. The direct cost is estimated at USD200M per week. Zesa does not take these costs into account when they decide to curtail."
The Stage means Power will be off for a long time that what has been happening.
Said Gwasira, "Zesa is implementing stage 2 load shedding due to a technical fault at Hwange & the loss of one of the Stage 2 Units at 1700hrs. This lead to a loss of about 160MW. Load shedding hours & affected areas have extended beyond the publicized schedule."
Gwasira said the electricity that is being purchased from South Africa's Eskom is not enough to service the whole country.
"Hwange power stage was built in stages. Stage 1 has 4 x120MW Units, stage 2 was built later and has 2 x220MW Units. Stage 3 is currently under construction and has 2 x 300MW units."
However, South African Engineer Matshela Koko said, "Zimbabwe is not receiving power from Eskom during the peak periods. Electricity from Eskom during the peak is 28 US cents per kilowatt-hour. Zesa considers 28cents very expensive and elects to curtail power to its customers than buy power from Eskom during the peak periods
"The total direct and indirect cost to the Zimbabwean economy for not having electricity is estimated at USD600M a week. The direct cost is estimated at USD200M per week. Zesa does not take these costs into account when they decide to curtail."
Source - Byo24News
