By Online Reporter |  6 months ago | local

Energy and Power Development Minister Soda Zhemu says the new Unit 7 at Hwange Thermal Power Station is expected to come on the grid in the coming two weeks while Unit 8 is expected to come on line next month to give an additional 600 MW of electricity to the national grid.

Minister Soda said this during the National Assembly question and answer session, while responding to a question by Chegutu West representative Dexter mNduna on what Government was doing to alleviate the increased load shedding experienced this week.

“According to Zesa, Unit 7 shall be tied on the grid on the 16th of this month while Unit 8 will come on board a month later,” Minister Zhemu said.

He said the increased load shedding experienced last week was due to the break down of three units at Hwange on February 23 and 24 resulting in power production falling from 440 MW to 77 MW.

He said the units were experiencing breakdowns due to old age, adding plans were in the works to procure new equipment.

Before the construction of Unit 7 and 8, the last expansion works were done between 1983 and 1986.

Minister Zhemu also said the water supply situation at Kariba Dam was improving and was now at 14 percent of live storage.