Zimbabwe is bracing for deeper electricity shortages after ZESA Holdings announced that Unit 8 at Hwange Power Station has been removed from the national grid due to a technical malfunction.
The unit is expected to remain offline for at least 10 days, further compounding the country’s ongoing energy supply challenges.
This latest development worsens an already critical situation, as Unit 3 at the same power station has been offline since September 10 for scheduled maintenance — a process that is only expected to conclude on October 24.
As of October 21, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) reported a total national electricity generation of just 1,296 megawatts, significantly short of the estimated peak demand of 2,000 megawatts.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, ZESA confirmed the temporary shutdown:
“Hwange Unit 8 has been taken off the grid due to a technical fault and will remain out of service for 10 days while we conduct restoration work,” the utility said.
“Hwange Unit 7 remains operational and is currently producing 335 megawatts to help stabilise the system.”
To help offset the supply gap, ZESA has also increased output at Kariba South Power Station, managing water usage carefully to avoid long-term strain on the hydropower facility.
“We have ramped up generation at Kariba South to reduce the impact of the shortfall. We understand the inconvenience this causes and appreciate the public’s patience as we work to return Unit 8 to service,” the statement added.
Urban areas throughout the country are already experiencing extended power outages, with some suburbs going without electricity for up to 20 hours a day. The situation is expected to deteriorate further during the 10-day downtime of Hwange Unit 8.
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