"Power Situation To Improve As ZESA Cuts ESKOM Debt" - Energy Minister

The Minister of Energy in Zimbabwe, advocate Fortune Chasi has said that he expects the country’s power situation to get better as the local power utility, ZESA has reduced its debt to ESKOM from about US$33 million to US$4 million.

Minister Chasi made the revelation while speaking to Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN). He said:

Yes, we are making them (payments) religiously. We have reduced the debt to US$4 million or thereabouts. We are also working on further reducing our indebtedness to Mozambique.

He added that the payment of the debts makes Zimbabwe creditworthy. South Africa and Mozambique’s power utilities, in that order, ESKOM and Hydro Cahora Bassa are currently providing limited power to Zimbabwe due to the debt which Zimbabwe is supposed to pay first.

Power generation in the country is hamstrung by dwindling water levels at the Kariba Dam which supplies the Kariba Hydor Power Plant. It is also being affected by ageing equipment at the Hwange Power Station.

The power situation has however improved in the recent past. At the peak of the power crisis, most parts of the country would go for at least 18 hours without power.

More: The Sunday Mail