Zimbabwe is heading down the same powerless path that SA seems to be following – possibly more rapidly in Zimbabwe’s case.
According to the Voice of America (VoA), the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) says the country has now resorted to using emergency power plants to generate electricity.
It already has one of these diesel-driven plants and is planning to construct another.
But these emergency plants that run on diesel cost extra to run and the power utility is looking for a 49% increase in the tariff.
Because the Kariba Hydro Power Station is running dry, Zesa has had to cut its power generation from 750 megawatts to 475 megawatts - and VoA reports that they might reduce that by a further 200 megawatts. Add to that a refurbishing of Hwange Thermal Power Station – it is also not running at full capacity.
It also faces the need to repay a Chinese loan of about the equivalent of R33 billion.
But, at a meeting with Zesa, stakeholders said the hike is excessive.
