Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has revealed that the intense load-shedding currently crippling the country is set to improve in the coming two weeks owing to a breakthrough in negotiations with South Africa’s Eskom.
Addressing the media at a Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) workshop today, (ZETDC) Commercial Services Manager Corporate Engineer, Richard Marowa said the load-shedding period was largely reliant on the performance of the biggest power station in Hwange.
However he reiterated that the situation is likely to improve in a few weeks.
“The load-shedding we are having now depends on the actual performance of Hwange being the best load power station. When it has a shortfall that goes below 520 megawatts that means we have to load-shed more. In essence that means longer load-shedding hours.
“It is the main reason we were not meeting the eight hours and stretching the load shedding into excess that is fifteen hours.The situation is likely to improve, we are getting this sense from the minister who has been negotiating on our behalf with his counterparts in South Africa. We are hopeful that towards the end of the month things should start to look upward.
“There is now legality in us accessing United States Dollars which is the critical currency that is required in order for us to pay for imports. Our imports are denominated in the US dollars and with that we will be able to import power for the nation.” explained Mariwa.
Mariwa revealed that their target is 1000 to 1050 megawatts at any particular time.
