Harare – Zimbabwe has launched a new 300 megawatt (MW) coal-fired unit with Chinese finance to try to ease the power outages that the country has experienced for years.
The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), said electricity started entering the national grid late on Monday from the unit at Hwange Power Station in the northwest.
“Power will be progressively fed into the grid until it reaches 300MW,” ZPC said.
The company plans to open a second unit in October to boost production by a total of 600MW.
The two units are costing US$1.4 billion, 85% financed by China’s state-run Sinohydro.
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The country is reeling under severe power shortages with at least 16 hours a day of load shedding, which has crippled businesses and left households stranded.
Zimbabwe has long battled with outages, but the problem has intensified in recent months with its main supply, a hydro plant at the giant Kariba Dam in the north, struggling with very low water levels caused by recurring droughts.
In December, power cuts were extended to up to 19 hours a day.
Hwange is the country’s largest coal-powered power station, but it is currently operating at below half capacity due to poor maintenance.
The nation generates less than half of its 1 700MW power demand for a population of 16 million.
Zimbabwe has been experiencing an economic crisis for more than 20 years. Electricity, fuel, food and medicines are all in short supply amid galloping inflation.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Pixabay
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