Zimbabwe Plunged into Darkness as National Grid Fails

Zimbabwe experienced a nationwide power blackout last night, with electricity restored only briefly in some areas early this morning.

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The outage, which occurred around 8:50 PM, comes as the country grapples with its worst power shortage in years.

The Kariba hydroelectric power station has been severely affected by low water levels caused by the combined effects of La Niña and El Niño weather patterns.

Currently, the only significant power generation comes from the coal-powered Hwange Thermal Power Station and a few smaller micro-grids.

However, this is insufficient to meet the country’s electricity demands, resulting in acute shortages and frequent load-shedding.

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) apologised for the blackout but did not provide details on the cause.

“We regret to advise our valued customers that the national grid experienced a system disturbance last night resulting in a system blackout,” ZETDC stated.

“Our Engineers reacted and began the restoration process. We are happy to advise that as of this morning, most of the load centres have been picked countrywide.”

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“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

Kariba Situation Critical
The situation at Kariba remains critical, with water levels significantly below those required for optimal power generation.

According to the Zambezi River Authority, the lake level was at 476.03m as of 18 November 2024, representing just 3.71% of usable storage. This compares to 477.68m (15.15% usable storage) recorded on the same date last year.

The low water levels have forced Zimbabwe and Zambia, which share the Kariba Dam, to drastically reduce electricity generation. This has had a significant impact on both countries’ economies and daily life.

Experts warn that the situation could worsen in the coming months, particularly if rainfall remains below average.

Zimbabwe is exploring alternative energy sources, including solar power, to mitigate the impact of the power crisis.

However, the country faces significant challenges in securing the necessary investment and infrastructure to meet its growing energy needs.

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