150MW ring-fenced for wheat farmers
CLOUDINE MATOLA
Power utility ZESA has guaranteed wheat farmers 150 megawatts (MW) starting this month, up from the 100MW that was previously ring-fenced as part of efforts to boost production, Business Times can report.
Dr Sydney Gata, the Executive Chairman of ZESA, confirmed the increase in the uninterrupted power supply this week.
In order to increase supply reliability for wheat producers, Dr Gata said that ZESA installed new switch gear and strengthened the power network.
“ZESA on the other hand, has been prioritizing power to the winter wheat farmers. Ring-fenced power for these farmers has been increased from 100MW to 150MW starting August 2024. The farmers therefore have been spared from load shedding, except in instances of technical faults,” Dr Gata said.
He added: “Furthermore, to increase reliability of supply, there has been reinforcement of the network and installation of switch gear for the winter wheat farmers.”
Additionally, he disclosed that in an effort to improve power generation, ZESA is mobilising funds for the installation of 120MW solar plants at productive farmers, a move which will lessen the load that the farmers place on the national grid.
“As a way of supporting production by farmers, farming load has been prioritised when power generation is not adequate to meet demand.
ZESA Holdings is mobilising financing for the installation of about 120MW of solar power at productive farms. This will ease the demand from farming load on the system, and at the same time allow farmers to feedback excess energy to the grid,” he said.
Furthermore, all the measures to improve power such as repowering of Hwange Units 1-6, additional base load capacity, additional generation by ferro companies, ferrochrome renewable, battery storage system, ZESA own solar sites as well as solar for farmers will produce over 3300MW of additional capacity.
“These initiatives will produce over 3 300 MW of additional capacity. Note that in the medium term we should also anticipate reverting to higher production of around 700MW from Kariba (South Hydroelectric Power Station) as the water flows in the dam normalise in the next two to three years. As we improve the power generation capacity, we will be investing in the transmission system in order to evacuate power to the load centres,” Dr Gata said.
