Mozambique to supply Zimbabwe with 50 MW

• Mozambique’s state-run power utility, Electricidade de Mocambique (EDM) has signed an agreement to sell 50 MW of power to Zimbabwe.
• The deal which was formalized between n EDM chairperson Ali Sicola, and his Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA)counterpart, Patrick Chivaura is aimed to minimise Zimbabwe’s energy deficit, which currently stands at 400MW.

EDM chairperson pointed out that the contract between EDM and ZESA will be valid for two years renewable and renewing it will depend on Zimbabwe’s needs and its capacity to pay. EDM will rent to ZESA the line from Songo in the western Mozambican province of Tete to Bindura in northern Zimbabwe to use to transmit the power.

Currently, EDM cannot sell more than 50 megawatts, but the two companies will look for additional sources of power such as new solar power stations which are coming on stream in Mozambique and these could provide EDM with a surplus that can be exported. The sales to ZESA will earn EDM four million US dollars a month.

Related: South Africa recently resumed 400MW of power supply to Zimbabwe after cutting supply because of payment default. Read more

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission & Distribution Company (ZETDC) implemented a wide scale load shedding programme in May 2019 plunging the country into darkness. The country has been forced to cut power generation at their Kariba Dam power plant due to low water levels. The dam, on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, is only 34% full and cannot generate electricity at optimal capacity. The utility is also facing generation constraints at Hwange Power Station

Related news: Zimbabwe’s head of Energy and Power Development, Minister Fortune Chasi  also recently fired the entire ZESA Board Friday amid the load shedding crisis the country faces. Read more

Author: Bryan Groenendaal