Zesa increase power cuts

ZESA has increased power load shedding period beyond scheduled timelines due to reduced electricity imports from South Africa’s utility company Eskom.

Eskom is facing major breakdowns at some of its units resulting in a loss of about 10 500 MW of generating capacity.

In a statement on Thursday, Zesa warned that load shedding duration would increase beyond schedule if imports do not improve following the faults at Eskom.

“Zesa Holdings would like to advise its customers countrywide that there is an increase in load shedding outside the publicised schedule due to limited supplies of electricity imports from the region. Customers will experience suppressed power supplies until imports from the region are restored to normal levels,” reads the statement.

The power utility company urged clients to preserve power by switching off non-essential appliances.

“In the interest of minimising the effects of the load shedding in view of the suppressed imports from the region, consumers are urged to use the available power sparingly.

The power utility appeals to consumers to switch off all non-essential electrical appliances, including those that would not be in use. Zesa appeals to consumers to switch off air-conditioners, switch off their geysers and use cold tap water rather than using the geyser every time. Customers will be updated accordingly as power imports from the region improves,” reads the statement.

Zimbabwe imports 300 megawatts (MW) from Eskom and an additional 100MW from Mozambique due to subdued power generation at the Kariba Hydro Power Station as a result of low water levels at Kariba dam due to poor rainfalls in the 2018/19 rainy season.

The breakdown at Eskom has resulted in the neighbouring country implementing stage 2 load shedding resulting in South Africans going for about 12 hours without electricity.

In turn, this has affected electricity supplies to Zimbabwe. — @nqotshili