Staff Reporter

Zimbabweans have been implored to be patient as Government is seized with implementing immediate mitigatory measures to counter the effects of power shortages currently bedevilling the country.

Appealing to Zimbabweans through his Twitter handle yesterday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana said power challenges were a regional crisis which were causing distress, inconvenience and cost to the citizenry and business.

“The power cuts are causing distress, inconvenience and cost to the citizenry and business. This is regrettable. The challenge is facing part of the region. Government is seized with implementing immediate mitigatory measures to bring normalcy. We thank you for your patience,” he said.

Immediate measures lined up by Government to cushion the country’s power demands include increasing power imports from Mozambique and Zambia.

Government has also announced that all mini hydro-power plants which were producing just fractions of their capacity will also be ramped up so as to add power to the national grid.

Zimbabwe’s long term solutions include Hwange Power Plants expansion where Power Plant seven is due to be commissioned this month whilst Power Plant eight would be commissioned in the first quarter of next year. Together, the two power plants would produce approximately 600MW that would be channelled into the national grid.

Zimbabwean Government is also currently engaged in the construction of a Solar PV Park in Gwanda. This Solar Park is expected to add another 100MW into the national grid.

Business analyst, Dr Chido Kaparadza told this publication that basing on the inflow of mining investors into Zimbabwe; the country’s power crisis was temporary as investors also consider power as a crucial input for production.

“Power is a major player in industry. No investor wants to go where there is an energy crisis. Considering the rapid inflow of mining companies into Zimbabwe in 2022 alone, it indicates that Government has lined up solutions which have also attracted these investors,” said Dr Kaparadza.

Meanwhile, other regional countries facing power crises include South Africa and Malawi. The power crises have been fuelled by the climate change that has caused a decrease of water levels on dams that power hydro thermal power stations.