THE government must urgently address Zimbabwe's low power generation which has resulted in power outages and load shedding, Epworth North legislator Zivanai Mhetu has said.
The opposition MP's advocacy comes as the country is grappling with electricity shortages which have been made worse by the El Nino-induced drought which affected water levels at Kariba Dam and ageing infrastructure which often breaks down at Hwange Thermal Power Station.
Mhetu on Tuesday raised a motion in Parliament on the power shortages adding that these were affecting households and industrial productivity.
Just a week ago, another MP Thokozani Khupe also raised the same issue, urging the government to kick-start Lubimbi- Lupane methane gas project worth 6000 kW.
"The current state of our power generation infrastructure is untenable, with frequent load shedding causing significant disruptions to households and crippling industrial productivity.
"Amid these challenges, we have the proposed Batoka Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station which is quite promising. The project, situated on the Zambezi River, holds the promise of unlocking Zimbabwe's vast hydroelectric potential, thereby alleviating our energy deficits and fueling economic progress," Mhetu said.
Mhetu told the acting speaker Raymore Machingura that in its quest to improve power generation and ensure the success of the Batoka Gorge project, Zimbabwe can learn a lot from Revelstoke Dam in Canada.
"Revelstoke Dam has a water carrying capacity of 1.5183 cubic kilometres but it produces around the same electricity as Kariba Dam which has a much larger water carrying capacity of 180 cubic kilometres.
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"Even though Kariba Dam is currently operating at 9.46% capacity, its current water levels are way over the maximum capacity of Revelstoke Dam. Revelstoke Dam produces 7,817 gigawatt hours (GWh) while Kariba Dam produces an estimated 10,305 gigawatt hours annually," the MP added.
Mhetu said authorities must reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change saying increasing renewable energy capacity was paramount.
Among other projects in the pipeline, the MP underscored the urgency of expediting the construction of the proposed 10-MW geothermal power plant at Chimbwawata Hot Springs in Binga district.
The maximisation potential of existing and upcoming dams, including Kunzvi Dam and Tugwi-Mukosi Dam, to contribute to the national grid and collaboration with power-generating entities is a priority, according to him.
Mhetu requested the government to ensure that dams are equipped with the necessary infrastructure to support power generation and to foster greater collaboration with independent power producers (IPPs) to meet rising energy demands.
Total demand for power in Zimbabwe is estimated at 4,000 MW per annum providing real opportunities for investment into electricity generation.
