By Dumisani Ndlovu
Zimbabwe has significantly increased its electricity imports by 18.6% in the third quarter of 2024, according to a report by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT).
The surge in imports is aimed at mitigating a power deficit caused by subdued generation at the Kariba Hydro Electric Power Plant, which has been affected by low water levels in Lake Kariba.
The country’s electricity imports totaled 611.1GWh in the third quarter, with 49.9% coming from Eskom (South Africa), followed by HCB (Mozambique) and EDM (Mozambique) at 19% and 18%, respectively.
Zimbabwe’s power deficit is attributed to its insufficient installed electricity generating capacity, which stands at 2,800MW against a demand of between 4,000 to 5,177MW. To address this, the national power utility, ZESA, aims to ensure the country has 3,500MW by 2025 to support national economic programs.
The report also highlights that the total volume of electricity distributed during the quarter increased by 6.7% compared to the second quarter, with the manufacturing, transport, and construction sectors receiving 790.6GWh of the distributed electricity.
