Brighter Days Ahead For Zimbabweans As Lake Kariba Water Levels Rise

The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has reported a steady increase in water levels at Lake Kariba, driven by continued inflows from the upper catchment of the Zambezi River.

In its latest update issued on Monday, 05 May 2025, the Authority confirmed that lake levels are gradually rising and remain within operational parameters for hydropower generation.

The Kariba Dam is designed to operate between 475.50 metres and 488.50 metres, with a 0.70 metre freeboard to allow for safe power generation and reservoir management.

As of 29 April 2025, the lake level stood at 477.51 metres, representing 13.95% of usable storage capacity. This marks a slight increase compared to the same date last year, when the level was recorded at 477.44 metres, with 13.45% usable storage.

The latest figures show a continued upward trend, with the lake level currently at 477.68 metres, up from 477.42 metres at the same time in 2024.

The usable live storage volume now stands at 9.81 cubic kilometres, compared to 8.62 cubic kilometres last year.

Usable live storage for power generation has also seen an improvement, currently at 15.15% compared to 13.13% in 2024.

Lake Kariba is home to two major hydroelectric power stations: Kariba South Power Station on the Zimbabwean side and Kariba North Power Station on the Zambian side.

Kariba South, located in Zimbabwe and operated by the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), has an installed capacity of 1,050 megawatts. It serves as a vital source of electricity for the country, although its output has often been constrained by fluctuating water levels in the reservoir.

On the opposite shore, Zambia’s Kariba North Power Station, operated by ZESCO, has a slightly higher capacity of 1,080 megawatts. Like its southern counterpart, it has faced operational challenges due to variable water inflows into Lake Kariba, which directly affect its ability to generate power.

ZPC recently increased power generation at Kariba from 252MW to 400MW, following improved water inflows into the lake.

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