Power generation down

News
Power generation unit Zimbabwe Power Company sent out 2 150,33GWh of power in the first four months of the year, 3,56% down production targets, due to reduced capacity at most power stations.

HARARE – Power generation unit Zimbabwe Power Company sent out 2 150,33GWh of power in the first four months of the year, 3,56% down production targets, due to reduced capacity at most power stations.

In an update, ZPC managing director Noah Gwariro said generation was affected by system disturbances, low availability of boiler plant at the small thermal stations, shortage of feed water at Harare Power Station, as well as load control at Kariba Power Station.

“Towards the end of February this year, we lost Hwange Power Station as a result of an earth fault resulting in the loss of station transformer two,” he said.

Gwariro said a maintenance team at Hwange had managed to bring back the station, but the company was still waiting for the new transformer to be delivered so that it could be reinstalled at the station.

He said generation was likely to improve as ZPC has established various strategies in order to improve plant efficiency at the stations.

“Some of these strategies include ensuring that there is adequate coal supply, as well as establishing plant performance monitoring and control methods. We have also put in place quality maintenance programmes to ensure that trips and tube leaks are reduced,” he said.

Power generation has been a major problem in Zimbabwe and economists have cited this as a major challenge in efforts to revive industry.

– The Source