State power utility, Zesa, needs to strictly adhere to a tight prescribed water ration that allows it to generate an average of 358 megawatts at Kariba to avoid depleting Kariba Dam following revelations the reservoir is left with only 24 percent of water usable for power generation.

The situation at the world’s largest man-made dam is critical and Zesa needs to strike a power import deal with South Africa’s Eskom by September to avoid tipping over an already precarious power situation in the country.

This is because demand for power in Zimbabwe, at peak periods, stands at an average 1 800 megawatts, but the country’s internal capacity can only manage a maximum 800-900MW at best due to antiquated equipment and effects of drought, which have decimated generation at Kariba South.

ZESA acting chief executive officer Mr Patrick Chivaura told The Sunday Mail Business that Zesa was producing power at levels prescribed by the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), which administers the river, to conserve water for next season.
“Kariba water level is 24 of live capacity. We are allowed to generate an average of 358MW to conserve water for next season,” Engineer Chivaura said last week.State media