State of the Energy Sector in Zimbabwe- full ministerial statement

Hwange Power Station Expansion Unit 7 and 8, Bulawayo Power Station repowering.

We also have candidates of projects that we would like to pursue with vigour in view of the dire situation that we face on the power side.  These are the Gairezi Mini-hydro, the Batoka Hydro Electric scheme, Mutare Peaking, Insukamini Solar Power plant and Harare Thermal Power repowering.

There are also a number of transmission projects.  Several projects are lined up to reinforce the grid and boost the country’s transmission grid’s capacity for wheeling power to enable it to perform its key role in the regional power trade.  The list includes Zizabona and Mozisa interconnectors, the Alaska-Sherwood, Alaska-Karoi and Orange Groove-Triangle lines. Currently ZESA is in the process of securing funding for these projects.  Prepaid meter project is also currently being implemented to enhance revenue collection by ZESA which will help in sustaining operations.

We need to put emphasis on demand side management.  As I averted to earlier on, we need to deal with matters of energy efficient lighting.  The Ministry will be promoting the use of energy efficient light bulbs (LEDs) in order to reduce demand in buildings and at household level.

We are also going to be promoting solar water heaters in place of electric geysers for water heating.  Statistics compiled so far indicate that from January to April 2019, up to 3000 solar geysers had been installed.  There is meaningful progress being made but we need much more than this if we are going to save on power.

Ripple control of electric geysers – using the ripple control system, ZESA is able to switch off electric geysers at night and during the peak periods in order to reduce domestic demand.  This will help manage electric demand in the morning and evening peak periods.

We intend to launch a Switch off Switches (SOS) campaign that will sensitise the public to save power.

Let me now turn to the fuel supply situation.  Generally, the fuel supply situation remains constrained due to what we believe is panic buying on the part of consumers.  Because of panic buying, not all service stations have fuel at any one time – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Members.

HON. CHASI:  This results in queues at service stations that may be having fuel.  The market is receiving reasonable volumes of fuel to keep the country running.  Panic buying originates from speculations that fuel prices are going to increase sharply.  Some fuel retailers actually make unilateral increases to such levels as we had in the past week.

On bonded fuel stocks, the country always has fuel stocks at NOIC’s bonded storage in Msasa.  This fuel belongs to international oil traders and does not belong to us.  It is fuel that is stored there for ease of access.

The country continues to blend petrol with ethanol in accordance with the law.  The blending ratio varies, depending on the availability of ethanol on the market.

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