THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority has raised concern over the influx of smuggled and illegal liquefied petroleum (LP) gas cylinders that have flooded the local market, increasing the risk of accidental explosions.
Zera said it had confiscated 300 cylinders in Harare alone, Zera petroleum infrastructure engineer Andrew Guri told journalists during a media engagement workshop held in Bulawayo yesterday.
Guri said despite LP gas being recommended as the cleanest form of energy, it posed severe threats if mishandled.
“The major challenge is on smuggled cylinders. Those are cylinders from Botswana and South Africa that have found their way into our market,” he said.
“Smuggled, like I said earlier on. They are being used by illegal LPG fillers and they get them from the general dealers. They bring these cylinders because they get discounts when buying them.
“However, they do not meet the required standards in the country, because they do not have any maintenance support associated with them.
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“We recently awarded a contract to an engineering firm in Harare to destroy 300 recovered cylinders from illegal fillers. We want to intensify this operation so that we kill the appetite for smuggled cylinders.”
In 2023, 11 LP gas-related accidents were recorded in the country.
On Tuesday, social media was awash with videos of an LP gas explosion that occurred in Mabelreign.
Last year, Zera issued a ban on door-to-door LP gas deliveries saying it was unsafe.
Guri said Zera was projecting the usage of LP gas to reach 70 million kilogrammes this year due to rolling power outages in the country.
“There is no other country where people have become so comfortable with LPG than Zimbabwe. Our LPG usage has grown from under 1kg per person per annum before 2012. To now close to 4,5kg per person per annum,” he said.
“We are projecting it to go to 70 million kg this year, if not more. It has now become a challenge because of this familiarity with LPG, which you now see on street corners, resulting in the problems that we are facing, especially with accidents.”
Zimbabweans are enduring punishing power outages running into more than 12 hours per day due to depressed electricity generation capacity.
As of yesterday, the country was generating 1 202 megawatts split as 1 034MW (Hwange), 124MW (Kariba) and 44MW from independent power producers.