By A Correspondent- Load-shedding is expected to significantly ease within the next three months as the country is close to settling its debt with South Africa’s Eskom — one of the country’s major power suppliers — while payments to Mozambique continues, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Speaking to Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN), Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi said the country intends to unlock additional power from both Eskom and Cahora Bassa of Mozambique.

“Yes, we are making them (payments) religiously. We have reduced the debt to about US$4 million thereabout. We are also working on further reducing our indebtedness to Mozambique,” said Minister Chasi. It is believed that as the country progressively reduces its debt to regional power suppliers, its creditworthiness, which makes it able to purchase additional electricity, is also improving.

“. . . it is going to be pivoted on us having to be creditworthy and the first step is to make sure that you pay your bills and that is what we are doing.”

Minister Chasi also indicated that refurbishments of Hwange Thermal Power Station are nearing completion. “We have a number of units in Hwange which should be finalised in the next month or two,” he said.

However, work on expanding the thermal power station is being held back by the current coronavirus outbreak, as restrictions on global movements are also affecting experts working on the power plant.