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Zimbabwe to import 250MW

from Zambia, Mozambique

to ease power crisis

ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWE has secured 100MW from Zambia but we were only accessing 50MW. So they are
and expects Mozambique to accept its proposal sending a delegation into the country [on July
for 150MW more on the 100MW its eastern 25] and they will be in the country for the whole
neighbour has been providing, according to week so we will discuss how we can access the
state media. remaining 150MW.”
Howard Choga, Zimbabwe Electricity Trans- Zimbabwe needs $17mn to pay for power
mission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) imports monthly, but, after struggling to raise
acting managing director, told The Sunday Mail the money since January 2022, President
that a delegation from Mozambique’s Elect- Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government recently
ricidade de Moçambique (EDM) was due in cleared ZESA Holdings (ZESA), ZETDC’s par-
Harare, the capital, during the July 24-29 week. ent company, to charge exporting companies,
“We signed power import deals with Zambia including mines, in foreign currency.
a long time ago, but we had not been getting ZESA executive chairperson, Sydney Gata,
electricity from that country because of cash said in a recent letter to miners, it will increase
flow challenges,” he said, according to the paper the tariff to 10.63 cents to be able to cover the
on July 24. cost of producing electricity.
“Now, because we have prepaid, we expect A $1,5bn expansion project at coal-fired
this to be settled in the coming weeks and we Hwange power station is underway. One of
will start receiving 100MW from Zambia. We the units is expected to contribute 300MW to
have to prepay them a month before we receive the grid by November and another of the same
the electricity.” capacity is due online by March 2023.
ZETDC’s power import deal with the Zam- Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries pres-
bia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) ident, Kurai Matsheza, told The Sunday Mail
has a three to five-year tenure and, according to that the current power crisis poses a threat to
reports, worth $6.3mn per month. industry’s survival.
Zimbabwe produces between 1,200MW and “That ZESA has unlocked some 300MW in
1,300MW versus demand of about 1,800MW. It imports is a welcome development, and as an
covers the shortfall through austere load ration- industry we expect that to start feeding into
ing and, depending on foreign currency availa- industry, and (we) also hope that it’s a firm
bility, imports. arrangement. Whilst the 300MW is welcome,
“Currently, we are getting 50MW from we need to hear from the power utility when
Cahora Bassa and 50MW from EDM in 2.100MW will be sustainably supplied and also
Mozambique,” Choga said. to grow in line with demand growth.”™
“We had signed a deal for 200MW with EDM,

P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 30 28•July•2022