Published by the government of Zimbabwe
9 May 2008
Harare — Mozambique , will today reduce electricity supplies to Zimbabwe by 100 megawatts to pave way for maintenance work at its giant Cahora Bassa power station.
Zimbabwe has been importing 200MW from Hidroelectrica de Cahora Bassa but normal deliveries should be restored early June if the maintenance work progresses on schedule, Zesa Holding chief executive Engineer Ben Rafemoyo said yesterday.
Zesa is making efforts to bring up a fourth unit at Hwange Power Station to generate 180MW and cope with the cut in imports. "Starting tomorrow (today) they will be a reduction of 100MW from Mozambique and they have formally advised us that inflows may go down to as little as 50MW varying with the degree of work they will be doing.
Eng Rafemoyo said it could take "time to resuscitate" the fourth unit since the required consumables were not yet readily available. An official with Hidroelectrica de Cahora Bassa confirmed yesterday that supplies would be cut to Botswana and Zimbabwe. Botswana buys between 35MW and 40MW from Mozambique.
"But supplies to South Africa will be maintained because we have a firm contract," said the official. Eng Rafemoyo said Zesa had started piling coal for small thermal stations to augment supplies during winter season.
"We are building coal reserves so that they will become sufficient to last a reasonable period while we push for more deliveries," said Eng Rafemoyo.
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