Jennifer Dube
4 July 2009
THE inclusive government is preparing an energy policy that will address the worsening electricity shortages and other pressing problems in the sector, a cabinet minister has said.
Energy and Power Development Minister, Elias Mudzuri told stakeholders at a recent workshop to discuss the policy in Mutare that the country had been without a proper framework for the energy sector for a long time.
He blamed the long running electricity and fuel shortages in the country on the policy vacuum.
"There is need for a decisive and progressive policy based on sustainable development principles in order to enhance the energy industry", Mudzuri said.
"Energy plays an invaluable role in social and economic development as it is a critical factor of production, whose cost impacts directly on other services and the competitiveness of enterprises.
"The national energy policy that is being drafted aims at increasing access to affordable energy services to all sectors of the economy, in a sustainable manner."
He said government wanted a significant overhaul of the energy sector to create an enabling environment where the country gets adequate energy supplies in a sustainable manner.
Mudzuri said some of the challenges facing the sector included lack of investment in new power generation projects and minimal maintenance of existing ones and the erratic supplies of electricity, coal and petroleum fuels.
Participants at the workshop funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) called for a policy that will address the country's perennial power shortages without pushing tariffs further.
The Combined Harare Residents' Association (CHRA) and the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) among other stakeholders said the policy should ensure that energy sources become affordable and accessible.
"The current supply and infrastructure does not meet current energy demand and the energy tariff charges are unaffordable", the stakeholders said in their presentation.
"The country should develop an energy policy which seeks to ensure reliability, diversity, equity, affordability, accessibility, availability and sufficient energy requirements to consumers with transparency and accountability."
On the other hand energy suppliers who included fuel dealers said shortages experienced on the local market were a result of the sub economic prices they were forced to charge for their products.
They called for a policy, which will promote tariffs that can ensure sustainable business.
The CCZ called for a policy that will promote alternative energy sources like solar, clean nuclear energy and recycling of waste material to reduce the over reliance on electricity.
There were also calls for the promotion of independent power producers (IPPs) and the promotion public-private partnerships (PPPs) to improve service delivery.
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