ENERGY and Power Development minister Edgar Moyo has underscored the importance of adhering to the power generation schedules set by the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), saying these were essential for consistent power generation at Kariba Dam.
Speaking during the ZRA council of ministers meeting recently, Moyo, who is the council’s current chairperson, said collaboration between Zimbabwe and Zambia in managing shared resources like the Zambezi River was vital for sustainable development, helping to maintain infrastructure and reduce the risk of power outages.
He said power companies at Kariba should utilise water allocations to ensure sustainable operations until inflows begin to increase as the 2024/25 rainfall season progresses.
Moyo also applauded ZRA for increasing the water allocation for power generation to 13,5 billion cubic metres (BCM) to both Zesco Limited of Zambia and Zimbabwe Power Company for the year 2025.
This increased allocation is expected to enhance power generation in the coming year.
The Energy minister, however, highlighted the urgent need to expedite the execution of the Batoka and Devil's Gorge Hydroelectric Schemes (BGHES and DGHES).
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“While it may seem that this is a long time to commence operations, I should highlight that projects like BGHES typically require substantial preparatory studies, including environmental and social impact assessments, which necessitate ongoing stakeholder engagements to ensure project buy-in,” Moyo said.
He announced plans to consider engaging of a local engineering consultancy firm to enhance local participation in the DGHES project.