Hwange Unit 6 shutdown leaves Zimbabwe short of power

Zimbabwe's diminished electricity supply can be attributed to the temporary closure of Hwange Unit 6, as disclosed on Tuesday. This coal-powered generator was taken offline for maintenance last Friday and is not anticipated to be operational again until at least this Thursday.

Following years of enduring frequent power outages, some lasting up to 15 hours, Zimbabweans had recently experienced a period of consistent power supply leading up to last month's general elections. This improvement was made possible by the successful installation of Generators Units 7 and 8 at Hwange, each capable of producing 300 MW.

According to the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), the nation's total power generation on Tuesday amounted to 1,343 MW, with Hwange contributing 543 MW and the hydroelectric Kariba Power Station providing 800 MW.

An undisclosed source from ZPC explained to ZimLive that the shutdown of Unit 6 was necessary to address vibration-related issues, describing the matter as "sensitive" and requesting anonymity due to a lack of authorization to discuss the power situation. Following the shutdown, a cooling-off period of approximately two days is typically observed before maintenance work can commence. It is anticipated that the unit will be back in operation by Thursday or Friday, thereby restoring around 150 MW of power.

Zimbabwe's peak power demand typically reaches around 1,800 MW. To supplement the electricity generated by Hwange and Kariba, the country relies on power from independent producers who have established solar farms, as well as small thermal power stations located in Bulawayo, Harare, and Munyati, although these stations are currently offline.