Zimbabwe: an Assessment of the Electricity Industry and What Needs to Be Done

Zimbabwe: An Assessment of the Electricity Industry and What Needs to Be Done Zimbabwe highlights the weaknesses in power pooling that typically occur in third world countries, particularly when foreign currency is in short supply. The electricity industry's monopoly should be abolished, independent Charles Mbohwa has a bachelors power producers should be attracted into the industry, in Mechanical Engineering from the and an independent regulator should be created for the University of Zimbabwe and a masters in Operations Management power sector. and Manufacturing Systems from University of Nottingham, England. Charles Mbohwa He has taught at the University of Zimbabwe and has been a consultant/researcher for UNDP, DANIDA, DNV Zimbabwe, and for I. Introduction incurred due to the disruptions the African Energy Policy Research can be regarded as an invisible Network (AFREPREN). He is Zimbabwe currently has an tariff that the customers of the currently a Ph.D. student in Shuichi electricity generation capacity of utility have to pay. Large-scale Fukuda's Laboratory at the Tokyo just about 2,000 MW, valued at investment in electricity genera- Metropolitan Institute of Technology about $2.5 billion (U.S.). The sys- tion requires a lot of capital. An in Japan, where he can be contacted tem maximum demand is via email at extra capacity of 300 MW would [email protected]. 2,034 MVA (megavoltampere). require around $450 million in The author acknowledges the support Energy imports have at times investment capital (assume an of the Swedish International risen to 50 percent of total energy average of $1,500 per kW capacity Development Co-operation Agency needs. The scarcity of foreign developed). This investment level (SIDA/SAREC) and the African currency has made it imperative is beyond the capacity of the Energy Policy Research Network that load shedding be introduced currently heavily indebted Zim- (AFREPREN). at times. The scale of energy dis- babwe Electricity Supply ruptions,whether planned or Authority (ZESA) and the Gov- unplanned,has resulted in huge ernment of Zimbabwe,given the losses to industries. The losses current economic problems. 82 # 2002,Elsevier Science Inc.,1040-6190/02/$ ± see front matter PII S1040-6190(02)00346-9 The Electricity Journal hile micro-scale and non-standard voltages are also later installation brought the Kar- W localized energy produc- found in rare instances. iba Dam's hydroelectric power tion systems can be considered,it capacity to 1,350 MW.2 The Kariba is clear that economic growth Power Station has at times been through industrialization would II. Hydroelectric Power affected by drought and the ¯ows be limited if such initiatives are Stations Are Affected by into the lake had been progres- pursued. One way would be to Droughts sively low since the early 1980s, encourage independent power resulting in a critical fall in levels producers (IPPs) to come to the The major source of hydropower which almost rendered the station rescue. This article assesses the for Zimbabwe is the Zambezi inoperable in 1992±1993. In current state of the electricity River,which has a total capacity August 1993,the lake level was industry in Zimbabwe,examines (developed and estimated poten- about 1 meter above the power potential sources of electricity in tial capacity) of 7,200 MW. About station intake level,yielding pro- the future,and suggests ways of jections that the water would last attending to the problems faced only until November 1993. Early by the industry at the moment. rains in that year avoided the The Ministry of Mines and The scale of shutdown of the power station. Energy is the responsible author- energy disruptions, The drought cycles have resulted ity for energy policy and for whether planned in a change of preference towards public administration of the or unplanned, thermal plants. energy sector in Zimbabwe, here is a power purchase through the Department of has resulted in T agreement between ZESA Energy (DOE) in this Ministry. huge losses to and an independent producer at The DOE does not have exclusive industries. Rusitu in the Chimanimani area, control over all matters in the which runs an 800 kW mini-hydro energy sector. A number of other plant,producing entirely for the institutions including other gov- grid. This agreement has served to ernment ministries,international 4,200 MW of this capacity can be indicate the willingness of the oil companies,private mining owned jointly by Zimbabwe and utility to purchase private power, companies,and the National Zambia. The two countries share an option which has been missing Railways of Zimbabwe in¯uence water for hydroelectric power in the energy sector in Zimbabwe. activities in this sector,particu- generation from the Kariba Dam, The tariff agreement provides for larly with respect to pricing of which was built on the Zambezi in a guaranteed price set as a per- energy products. Zimbabwe relies 1955±1960. The present total centage of the ZESA tariff. This mainly on coal for thermal power capacity is 1,266 MW, comprised assists in project planning for new generation,producing about 70 of four 150 MW generator sets producers. Mini-hydroelectric percent of total national electrical installed on the northern bank (the plants have been installed at energy production. Electricity is Zambian side) of the river in 1962 Kwenda (80 kW),Sithole-Chikate also produced from hydro and known as Kariba North Bank (30 kW),Svinurai (20 kW),Mutsi- resources of the Zambezi River. Power Station,and six 111 MW kira (10 kW),Rusitu (700 kW), Transmission voltage is 330,400, generator sets installed on the Nyafaru (40 kW),Aberfoyle and 420 kV. Sub-transmission Zimbabwean side and commis- (30 kW),and Claremont (250 kW) voltage is 132,88,and 66 kV. The sioned in 1965. The latter sets, in Zimbabwe. There have been distribution voltages are 33 or known as the Kariba South Bank plans to install a 140 kW micro- 11 kV. Supply voltages are 220 Power Station,have been hydroelectric power plant at and 380 V.1 Some intermediate upgraded to 125 MW each. This Manyuchi dam,about 350 km August/September 2002 # 2002,Elsevier Science Inc.,1040-6190/02/$±see front matter PII S1040-6190(02)00346-9 83 south of Harare. This project could Table 1: Power Generation by Source, 1996±1999 provide 700,000 kWh of renew- Fuel/Source Power Generation (GWh by Year) able energy a year,avoiding car- 1996 1997 1998 1999 bon dioxide emissions of 900,000 kg per year. Additional Coal 5,160 5,175 7,129 4,141 benefits would be in technology Hydro 2,163 2,122 2,927 2,949 transfer and the local social and Imports 3,172 4,013 7,461 5,275 economic benefits associated with Totals 10,49511,310 17,510 12,365 electrification. However,it is clear that small-scale hydroelectric plants,besides bringing about 1996 to 1999.3 The import level in (SADC)'s energy management positive social and economic 1999 represents over 40 percent of program is the Southern African benefits,have a more limited national needs. This ®gure has Power Pool (SAPP),under which capability to address the future tended to be around 50 percent member states are linked to one energy requirements in Zim- recently. The growing trend in electricity grid. This enables the babwe or reduce the current electricity demand and the rising regional reserve to provide energy import bill effectively. level of imports can be easily options for power supply to the While large-scale hydroelectricity noticed. member countries. The cost of this schemes are very economic,mini- lectricity consumption imported energy has to be hydro schemes do not offer the E peaked in 1998,when the weighed against the factors that same levels of scale economies. In economy was doing well. The support domestic production of Zimbabwe,these schemes would decline in electricity consumption electricity. The SAPP enables also be adversely affected by in 1999 marks the beginning of a easier export and import of elec- drought. This underlines the need slowdown of the national econ- tricity throughout the region. The to look at complementary electric omy,which has continued to date. pool is made up 12 national uti- energy sources in future. The poor business and political lities: Empresa National de Elec- climate have therefore recently tricidade (ENE) of Angola, distorted demand forecasts for Botswana Power Corporation III. Thermal Power Has electricity. The technical data of (BPC) of Botswana,Lesotho Taken over as the Main the existing thermal power sta- Electricity Corporation (LEC) of Electricity Source tions is shown in Table 2.4 It can Lesotho,Electricity Supply Com- be observed that the oldest power mission (ESCOM) of Malawi, Coal-based thermal power gen- plants at Harare,Munyati,and Electricidade de Mozambique eration assumed an important role Bulawayo range from 44 to (EDM) of Mozambique,Namibia in the energy supply scenario of 55 years old and contribute about Power (NamPower) of Namibia, Zimbabwe in 1984,when the 345 MW of thermal capacity. ESKOM of South Africa,Swazi- Hwange Power Station was built land Electricity Board (SEB) of at the Wankie coal mine. At pre- Swaziland,Tanzania Electricity sent,Zimbabwe has an installed IV. Zimbabwe Is One of Supply Corporation (TANESCO) coal-based thermal capacity of the Most Interconnected of Tanzania,Societe National 1,295 MW, with a total annual coal and Electricity-Import- d'Electricite (SNEL) of Demo- intake of about 3 million tonnes Dependent Countries in cratic Republic of Congo,Zambia per year. The role of coal in power Africa Electricity Supply Corporation generation is highlighted in (ZESCO) of Zambia,and Zim- Table 1,which shows power Central to the Southern African babwe Electricity Supply generation by source for the years Development Community Authority (ZESA) of Zimbabwe.

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