Staff Reporter
The country’s power utility, Zesa Holdings, has warned of an increase in load shedding due to on-going refurbishment works on the Kariba Dam wall.
In a statement yesterday, Zesa Holdings announced that the rehabilitation works at Kariba would see some units being taken out of service to allow for completion of critical works on the dam wall.
“Zesa Holdings would like to advise its valued stakeholders countrywide on the resumption of rehabilitation works for the Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project. The works had been temporarily shelved effective the 16th of December 2021 resulting in minimal load shedding during the festive season.
“Following the Zambezi River Authority’s request to reduce generation levels at Kariba North and South power stations, some units at the Kariba South Power Station will be taken out of service daily to allow for completion of critical works on the dam wall, resulting in reduced generation levels and load curtailment,” reads the statement.
Zesa Holdings further advised that the maintenance programme is expected to be completed on 25 January 2021 and consumers have been urged to use available power sparingly to minimise the effects of load shedding.
The maintenance works were supposed to have been done in December last year but the power utility suspended the plans so as to provide adequate power to citizens during the festive season.
Meanwhile, the country has embarked on various power generation projects with a vision of being a net exporter of power by 2025. It is expected that in the next three years, the country would be able to produce 5 000 MW from different power plants and this would be enough for the country’s power needs as well as export.
