By Anyway Yotamu
KARIBA – Zimbabwe has recorded about 188 consecutive days without load shedding marking a significant improvement in electricity supply and signalling a major turnaround for the country’s power sector.
The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) says the achievement has largely been driven by improved generation at Kariba South Power Station, the country’s largest renewable hydropower facility.
Speaking during a tour of the power station by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development over the weekend, ZESA Holdings Acting Group Chief Executive Officer Engineer Cletus Nyachowe said the milestone reflected improved power generation and better management of the national electricity system.
His speech was delivered by Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) Acting Managing Director Engineer Norbert Matarutse.
“Members may wish to note that Zimbabwe has now gone approximately 188 days without load shedding, a significant milestone that reflects improvements in generation performance and system management. The contribution of Kariba South Power Station has been instrumental in achieving this outcome,” said Engineer Nyachowe.
The development marks a sharp contrast to previous years when households and businesses endured power cuts lasting up to 18 hours a day, disrupting industrial production, mining operations and daily life.
Despite the progress, Engineer Nyachowe cautioned that challenges remain particularly within the country’s ageing transmission and distribution network.
“While this achievement is encouraging, we remain mindful of the network faults and infrastructure challenges that continue to affect service delivery in certain areas,” he said.
He said ZESA was now focusing not only on increasing electricity generation but also on modernising the national grid to ensure consumers fully benefit from the additional power being produced.
“As we pursue additional generation capacity, equal emphasis is being placed on strengthening and modernising our transmission and distribution infrastructure to ensure that the benefits of increased generation are fully realised by consumers across the country,” he said.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development described the progress as a major milestone but said sustained investment would be required to maintain the gains.
Acting committee chairperson and Chinhoyi Member of Parliament Lesley Mhangwa said Parliament would continue supporting policies aimed at strengthening the country’s energy sector.
“We had a very informative session and it helps us in our work. Our role as Parliament is to assist the power utility in achieving its objectives. This visit also gives ZESA an opportunity to highlight areas where policy support from Parliament may be required,” he said.
Mhangwa said the committee recognised the significance of maintaining uninterrupted electricity supplies after years of widespread outages.
“The milestone of 188 days without load shedding is no easy achievement considering where we are coming from, when at times the country experienced almost 18 hours of load shedding. It is a big milestone,” he said.
Kariba South Power Station remains one of Zimbabwe’s most strategic energy assets supplying electricity to key sectors including mining, manufacturing, agriculture, commerce and households.
During years of normal rainfall, the hydropower station generates about 45% of Zimbabwe’s annual electricity requirements and remains one of ZESA’s lowest-cost sources of power, helping keep electricity generation costs comparatively low.
While the recent improvement in electricity supply has been welcomed by industry and consumers, authorities say continued investment in generation capacity and grid infrastructure will be critical to ensuring long-term energy security.
