Zim to cut power to boost economy

HARARE – Zimbabwe will cut power supply to selected residential areas for up to 10 hours daily in the coming months to meet higher demand from wheat farmers and boost the economy, an official said yesterday.

“The level of domestic load-shedding will definitely increase between now and August,” Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) holdings chief executive officer, Ben Rafemoyo, told AFP. “Some selected areas will not have electricity between 06h00 (04h00 GMT) and about noon, but if the worst comes to worst there might not be power to these areas until around 17h00.This is not a blanket blackout.”Rafemoyo said reducing power supplies to residential areas would enable the power agency to allocate 200 megawatts daily to wheat farmers until the end of the wheat-growing season in August.”We want to keep our industries and agriculture alive so that we will not end up importing wheat,” he said, adding the residential power cuts were “for the greater good of the economy.”Zimbabwe generates 60 per cent of its electricity and imports the remainder from neighbouring South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo.Imports are expected to reduce this year as exporting countries run out of surplus power due to increased demand.Zimbabwe uses about 1 500 megawatts of power during the summer and 2 100 megawatts in winter.Nampa-AFP”Some selected areas will not have electricity between 06h00 (04h00 GMT) and about noon, but if the worst comes to worst there might not be power to these areas until around 17h00.This is not a blanket blackout.”Rafemoyo said reducing power supplies to residential areas would enable the power agency to allocate 200 megawatts daily to wheat farmers until the end of the wheat-growing season in August.”We want to keep our industries and agriculture alive so that we will not end up importing wheat,” he said, adding the residential power cuts were “for the greater good of the economy.”Zimbabwe generates 60 per cent of its electricity and imports the remainder from neighbouring South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo.Imports are expected to reduce this year as exporting countries run out of surplus power due to increased demand.Zimbabwe uses about 1 500 megawatts of power during the summer and 2 100 megawatts in winter.Nampa-AFP