Power hike proposal slammed

Zimbabwe’s business

community – including

the Chamber of Mines,

the Confederation of

Zimbabwean Industries and

the Zimbabwe Commercial

Farmers' Union – has

united in its opposition

to the proposed 45%

power tariff hike which

they say will reverse the

progress made towards

boosting the country’s trade

competitiveness.

The Zimbabwe Energy

Regulatory Authority began

stakeholder consultations

on a proposed electricity

tariff increase last

week by the Zimbabwe

Electricity Supply Authority

(Zesa), which would be

used, in part, to help pay

for its 300-megawatt power

imports from Eskom.

The Energy and Power

Development Minister,

Dr Samuel Undenge,

commented that “there

was no going back on the

increase” as Zesa had to

urgently finance powergenerating

projects.

Among the projects

expected to ease the current

power crisis is the 200-

megawatt emergency power

plant to be installed at

Dema substation by April

this year.

Meanwhile concerns

about severe power rationing

in Zimbabwe and Zambia

have arisen after reports last

week that the water level at

Lake Kariba had dropped

to 12% of capacity. Both

countries rely heavily on the

Kariba dam for electricity.