Zimbabwe needs $5 million to increase power output

from OBERT SIAMILANDU in Kariba, Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Bureau KARIBA, (CAJ News) THE Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) requires about US$5 million (R95 million) to revamp its thermal station in the capital city and eventually increase electricity output.The revamp of the Harare Thermal Power Station is anticipated to increase output from the current 5MW to around 30 MW.

"The US$5 million will only be able to get us to get the other turbine that is meant for rehabilitation to be brought back to life," said Eng. Nobert Matarutse, ZPC Acting Managing Director.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a tour of the plant by the Parliamentary Affairs Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development."When we talk about bringing the whole power station to the stream, we need far much more than that.

So, the $4,9 million that we have shared is to get about 30MW," Matarutse said.Meanwhile, despite the challenges faced at Kariba South power station, electricity generation has been steady, the committee that is on a countrywide tour to assess the state of power generation in Zimbabwe, was told.

So far, the committee has toured both stations in Harare and Kariba.Kariba Hydro Power Station reportedly produced 600MW this year, up from an average of 400MW to 500MW.

Joel Gabuza, chairperson of the Energy and Power Development committee, provided an update.He said Kariba South had three generators down.

"So for those three to be put back on the line, they need spares and it costs a lot of money to do the repairs and some of those spares are imported from other countries. It will also need months for such issues to be resolved," the legislator said.

Zimbabwe has battled power outages for most of the past two decades. CAJ News