STATE power utility, ZESA, says the prevailing electricity challenges will subside significantly from the second half of the year up to the end of 2024 buoyed by improved generation at Kariba South and Hwange power stations.
Coal-fired Hwange Power Station and Kariba South Power Station, a hydropower plant, are the country's two major power plants.
Hwange, which presently faces constant breakdowns due to aging equipment, is being upgraded under a US$1,5 billion expansion project to add equal units,7 and 8,with the first anticipated to come on stream soon to adding 300MW into the national grid.
Unit 8 is expected to come on board by June this year generating an additional 300MW while Kariba Hydropower plant, which is presently operating sub-optimally due to low water levels, is anticipated to improve its generation as dam levels rise to optimum levels before mid-year.
Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) commercial director Mr Gift Ndhlovu who was representing the company's acting managing director Engineer Howard Choga at the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) 2023 Annual Economic and Business Outlook Symposium in Harare on Wednesday, said Kariba, which is more reliable in terms of supply was negatively affected by climate change issues.
However, he said the water levels were now on an upward trend from around 0,66 percent as at the beginning of January this year to 8,3 percent to date in terms of live water presently.
"We just got a review of the water allocation and we are now doing 350MW up from an average of 250MW and we anticipate that the reservoir will peak around May and June this year.
"We'll be able to review our generation capacity from the current 350MW to about 775MW, which will give us some comfort ... ( through an additional) 425MW.
"In terms of interventions, in the short to medium term, holding all other things constant, we feel that there would be a balance in the second half of 2023.
"We will be very comfortable in terms of the power supply situation as we get into the second half of this year," said Mr Ndhlovu.
"Hwange Units 7 and 8 are progressing in earnest, though we are faring a bit behind in terms of our original plan we feel that the first unit (Unit 7) should be in by the end of March which will give us about 300MW.
"Unit 8 is also progressing and it should be in by June 2023 giving us an additional 300MW.
"The second half of 2023 is looking quite good and we also feel that 2024 is also in the safe zone in terms of our focus."
He said because ZETDC has received applications of a combined 2 300MW from domestic and industrial consumers who require electricity in the next three years, this entails that the country would resume experiencing power supply challenges in 2025.
The surge in demand for electricity comes as Zimbabwe continues to attract more high-value investors keen to establish businesses that will transform the economy in line with Vision 2030 of an empowered upper-middle-income society.
Since the ushering of the new dispensation led by President Mnangagwa in November 2017, and the announcement that "Zimbabwe is open for business" by the President, more and more foreign and local investors are stampeding to take up investment opportunities in key sectors such as mining and agriculture.
At present, Zimbabwe requires between 1 500MW and 1 700MW.
Mr Ndhlovu said the economy is on a rebound with industrial capacity utilisation improving also spurred by the mining sector's US$12 billion milestone by the end of the year.
"We see all those investments in the mining industry manifesting in increasing demand for power or requisitions for connections in terms of power requirements.
"If you look at our demand forecast you find that as of last year, we closed the year at a maximum demand of 1 850MW and we forecast that this year by year-end, it will be at least 2 000MW," he said.
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Hwange Thermal Power Station has installed capacity of 920MW but because of aging infrastructure, the plant is operating at an average of about 450MW while generation capacity at Kariba Hydropower Station ranges between 100MW and 500MW.
On imports, Mr Ndhlovu said the country is getting support from the Southern African Power Pool with neighbouring Zambia exporting 100MW.
From Mozambique, an independent power producer, Hydro Cabora Bassa is exporting about 50MW into Zimbabwe
"From EDM of Mozambique again, we are getting 50MW on a firm basis and another 150MW on a non-firm basis so it ranges between 250MW and 300MW coming from Mozambique.
"We are also getting 100MW from Eskom, South Africa. We also have a contractual obligation to give Namibia 80MW so when you then aggregate these imports, you find that they range between 300MW and 450MW from our neighbours and when you further aggregate these numbers our available supply ranges between 1 025MW to above 1 300MW," he said.
