Mishma Chakanyuka, Staff Writer 
ZIMBABWE’S electricity imports surged by 26,8 percent to 863,4-gigawatt hours (GWh) during the first quarter of 2023, latest figures from ZimStat show.
State power utility Zesa says local production was 29 percent below target for the quarter, which worsened power cuts in the country and created more demand for imports.
In a report, ZimStats revealed that 32,8 percent of the imported power came from Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM Mozambique), while 29 percent came from ESKOM South Africa.
The total volume of electricity distributed was 2 002,9GWh, resulting in a 10,3 percent decline from 2 233,36GWh distributed in the fourth quarter of 2022.
“Of the distributed electricity, users in manufacturing, transport and construction consumed 544,6GWh,” ZimStats said.
Zimbabwe currently has a generating capacity of 2 000 megawatts (MW) but is only producing 1 400 MW due to regular breakdowns at its thermal power stations and water shortages at its main hydro plant in Kariba.
Zesa says it is aiming to more than double national grid capacity by 2025 to respond to increased demand from the mining sector. It expects to add 2 300 MW to the grid by then.
This growth is anticipated from floating solar projects at Kariba Dam, increased generation at the coal-fed Hwange plant and opportunities for independent power producers (IPPs).
The government is currently engaging investors to come aboard as IPPs, with authorities having also shown their willingness to adjust and make the environment favourable for the IPPs, which will help to bridge the current power gap.
Last December, the government unveiled incentives meant to help bring 1 100 MW of new solar projects on stream by 2025, but lack of investment in new energy projects has slowed progress.
Meanwhile, 82,7GWh of electricity was exported in the first quarter of 2023, 23,3 percent less than 107,8GWh exported during the fourth quarter of 2022.
Of the exported electricity during the period under review, NamPower of Namibia received 99,8 percent.
The Index of Electricity Generation was 56,5, reflecting a year-on-year percentage decrease of 37,8 from to 90,9 recorded in the first quarter of 2022.
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