The Zimbabwean government has said it will announce measures to ease power shortages following a directive from the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) stopping the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) from generating electricity at the country’s anchor power station at the Kariba Dam.
The Herald newspaper reported on Wednesday that Acting Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Jenfan Muswere said in a post-cabinet meeting briefing Tuesday evening that the government would act on the power situation.
“Cabinet deliberated on the issue of Zimbabwe’s energy supply. A detailed statement will be issued by Minister of Energy and Power Development Soda Zhemu as soon as consultations are finalized,” he said.
Zimbabweans endured long hours without power due to curtailed power generation caused by aging equipment at its thermal power stations and low water inflows into Lake Kariba on the Zambezi River.
Zambia’s ZESCO Limited, which is still operating within its allocation, has been allowed to continue generating power at its north bank power station.
The ZRA is a bi-national agency jointly owned by the governments of Zimbabwe and Zambia, and manages the waters of the Zambezi River, which divides the two countries with Zimbabwe lying to the south.
The ZPC was ordered to stop generating power because it had exceeded its water allocation for the year, while water levels in the lake had become dangerously low. Enditem
