BUSINESS REPORTER
The Zambezi River Authority has cautioned the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and Zesco Limited not to generate at higher levels owing to low water levels attributed to the delayed onset of the 2021/22 rainfall season.
The caution comes despite the Authority telling ZPC and Zesco that there would not be compelled to reduce power generation levels at Kariba for six hours following the completion of the pool reshaping sub-project next week.
“Owing to the delayed onset of the 2021/2022 rainfall season, the Authority has cautioned the two power utilities not to generate at higher levels (currently 550MW for each Kariba power station) than that associated with the water allocation made for 2022,” Zambezi River Authority CEO Munyaradzi Munodawafa said in an update.
“The Authority is now preparing to undertake the hydrological review for the first quarter of 2022 that will further inform the water allocation for power generation operations at Kariba.”
Last year, the Authority allocated 45BCM to be shared equally between Zesco Limited and Zimbabwe Power Company for their respective power generation operations at Kariba during 2022.
The allocation was, among other factors, informed by the predictions of normal to above normal rainfall provided by the regional weather and climate experts but will be subject to a downward review where the rainfall season turns out to be a drought period to conserve the stored usable water and support power generation operations into 2023, Munodawafa said.
He said the specific works under the pool reshaping sub-project that called for this need have since advanced and are due to be completed by 25th January 2022, thereby ending the Authority’s request to the two power generation utilities to reduce power generation levels for six hours on selected dates to facilitate coffer dam construction works under the plunge pool reshaping sub-project of the Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project (KDRP).
“Going forward, the remaining works of the KDRP will not result in the two utilities seeing reduced generation levels at their respective Kariba power stations. The KDRP is scheduled to be completed by 2024 and is aimed at assuring the long-term safety and reliability of Kariba dam,” Munodawafa said.
