‘Legislate A Ban Against Electric Geysers To Reduce Power Usage’-Energy Ministry

ZIMBABWE has literally become a blackout nation as the country struggles with a crippling electricity supply crisis which has forced daily power cuts lasting as long as 18 hours in some areas.

The country has, for years, failed to generate enough electricity to meet its needs forcing power utility ZESA to ration supplies as it does not have the money to plug the shortfall with imports.

But the crisis has worsened in recent days after local generation collapsed to 984 megawatts against a daily demand of 2000 MW.

Energy ministry permanent secretary Mbiriri was brutally frank on why the country finds itself in this predicament.

“We did not invest in the energy sector, in the power sector, for many years. The last phase of Hwange was done in 1987,” Mbiriri was quoted as saying by a State-owned daily.

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) blamed the problems on low water levels at Kariba Power Station, and generation constraints at Hwange Power Station and limited imports.

The company released a load shedding time table that will see some residential areas going without power for at least 9 hours and as much as 18 hours every day.

According to the schedule, Harare’s Belgravia suburb, where some embassies are located, would have power cuts on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 04:00 to 22:00. Many other suburbs and cities were similarly affected.

But, ever quick to find a comic upside to their unending challenges, some Zimbabweans joked that the power utility was imposing a compulsory weight-loss programme on the nation.

“The Zesa Weight Loss Programme is the most result-showing weight loss programme on the planet.

“I have not been able to cook for days now and you are absolutely right, I am load-shedding!” wrote resident, Lisa Fulton, in a post that was shared on Facebook community, ‘What’s up Harare’.

The energy ministry, meanwhile said government would legislate a ban against electric geysers to help reduce power usage.

Those who want warm showers can install solar geysers, the ministry advised.

Earlier in the week, vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa promised “joy in our homes” when challenged over the crisis in Parliament.

“It is our wish that we produce enough electricity,” he said. By UK Bureau I Agencies.source-newzimbabwe

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