Staff writer
As the year 2025 approaches, citizens have called for a long lasting solution to electricity catastrophe that has rocked the country in 2024.
In interviews with The Blast, citizens across the country said they were anticipating for a better 2025 and an end to the load shedding crisis that is lasting up to 18 hours daily.
“We are calling the government and in particular, the Zimbabwe Electric Supply Authority (ZESA) to take some mitigatory procedures because truly speaking, the year 2024 is a forgettable one in as far as energy crisis is concerned. Imagine spending at least 18 hours a day without electricity, “said Tendai Mushuku, a resident of Glen view suburb in Harare.
Some small scale business people in the formal sector told The Blast that their business initiatives were severely affected by the crisis, a development which saw them incurring heavy loses.
“I am into welding at Magaba in Mbare, (Harare’s oldest suburb) and that is my means of survival. But honestly speaking, I incurred heavy loses and could not manage to finish orders from clients. Here and there, I used my petrol generator but that did not last as that proved to be an expensive measure,”
said an informal trader.
“I am hereby urging the government to take measures in ensuring that 2025 will be a better year. Its better if the load shedding programme lasts for let’s say 5 hours per day so that we will be able to work and fend for our families.”
Other citizens appealed to ZESA to turn to solar energy.
“We are calling on ZESA to take advantage of plenty sunshine we have in this country and venture into solar energy projects than to rely on absolute power grids at Hwange or on Kariba power station which generates electricity depending on the amount of water in Zambezi River. We are hoping for a better 2025 and an end or reduction of load shedding, “said citizens.
ZESA Holdings chairperson Sydney Gata on recently presented a 720 megawatts thermal power project and a 200 megawatts solar initiative as solutions to Zimbabwe’s crippling load-shedding programme.
The two projects, being mooted by Zesa, Titan Thermal Power Plant (720MW) and the 200MW solar station will be complemented by a 100MW solar project to be constructed by Afrochine in Selous and a 200MW plant in Gweru. The projects are expected to have been completed by December 2025. Zimbabwe which heavily relies on the Kariba Hydro Power Station and Hwange, when it is in service, has been facing a dire shortage of power.
According to a report from business sector, companies in Zimbabwe in 2024 were paying a heavy price for the rolling blackouts as businesses are spending as much as US$300 000 per month on fuel for generators, making the cost of producing goods expensive and unsustainable.