Zim faces power outages as Kariba water level drop...

Zim faces power outages as Kariba water level drops

Zim Now Writer

Zimbabwe faces more load-shedding as the Kariba Hydro-Electric Power Station is set to reduce its power generation to 214 MW from 600 MW, owing to a drop in water levels in Lake Kariba.

This comes as a below-average rainfall has been recorded by the Kariba catchment, due to the effects of El Nino weather conditions globally and over the southern African region.

In a statement on the hydrological outlook of the Kariba Catchment in Zambia and Zimbabwe, ZRA chief executive, Engineer Munyaradzi Munodawafa said water levels had fallen to 477.66m with 9.72 BCM of stored usable water from 477.87m.

“Kariba lake level increased to 477.87m with 10.68 BCM of stored usable water or 16.49% live storage recorded on 29th January 2024, then decreased to 477.66m with 9.72 BCM on 6th March 2024, affected by below-average rainfall.”

The Authority has maintained 16 BCM water allocation for 2024, with an average power production of 428MW to be shared equally between the Zimbabwe Power Company and Zambian power utility, the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation.

ZRA added that monitoring will continue, with a hydrological review in March 2024 to determine any adjustments to water allocation based on rainfall and inflow data.

The country was las year plunged into darkness after ZRA slashed water allocation for power generation at Kariba Hydropower Station from 40 to 30 billion cubic meters due to reduced water inflows in Lake Kariba.

Built by Italian contractors in the 1950s, the Kariba Hydro Power Station Lake Kariba, has the capacity to generate 1 050 MW when at full throttle.

Currently, Kariba power station is generating 300 MW.

An expansion project to add two other units was completed in March 2018 by Chinese contractor, Sino Hydro Corporation.

The Kariba Dam, is one of the world’s largest man-made reservoirs and straddles the Zambezi River dividing Zimbabwe and Zambia, which share the water resource for power generation, water, fishing and tourism related activities.