"Loadshedding To Continue, " ZESA Announces Schedule

Zimbabwe’s power utility, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority has reiterated that the ongoing power cuts in the country are a result of faults on two generators at Hwange Thermal Power Station.

The power utility said load shedding will continue for as long as repairs on the two generators are not yet complete. Part of ZESA’s statement reads:

The depressed power supply has also been compounded by the unavailability of normal import levels due to constraints in the region.

ZESA said load curtailment will continue being exercised during the morning peak (5 am to 10 am) and evening peak (4 pm to 8 pm) across the country.

Some suburbs, including Warren Park in Harare, have been without power since Monday at a time when some people are working online from home.

Zimbabwe has since 2019 experienced the worst power crisis in a decade with some areas going for about 18 hours without power.

Authorities blame the shrinking water levels at Kariba Dam and ageing equipment for the crisis.

Auditor General’s reports for the past few years, however, suggest that corruption is part of the problem as some of the equipment bought to rehabilitate equipment at power stations never arrived.

The crisis has inevitably contributed to low production thereby worsening the economic and humanitarian crisis in the Southern African country.