14 December 2014, Harare – ZIMBABWE will provide 7 000 megawatts into the region by 2022 if electricity generation projects the country has embarked on are completed, a senior Government official has said.In his keynote address at the 11th Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Regional Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa being held in Victoria Falls, Energy and Power Development permanent secretary Partson Mbiriri said Government’s approach was to look beyond the Zimbabwean market in terms of energy supply as it views the region as a potential consumer.
“These projects include the Batoka Project, Kariba South Hydro Power Extension, Hwange Power Station Expansion and several Independent Power Producers which have been licensed to generate power into the grid,” he said.
“Zimbabwe is centrally located in the region which makes it a central hub in terms of energy wheeling and interconnections. The country has embarked on several projects which are likely to provide about 7 000MW into the regional grid by 2022.”
According to the Southern African Power Pool, the region is currently experiencing a deficit in power supply. Demand for power in the region has been increasing at an average rate of 3 percent per annum.
*Oliver Kazunga and Happiness Zengeni – The Herald