The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has restricted electricity generation at Kariba Power Station to an average of 214 megawatts (MW) until the end of March 2024 due to dwindling water levels in Kariba Dam, which may hit record lows this year.
Reduced output from Kariba Power Station, one of Zimbabwe’s major power facilities, is expected to strain the national grid and potentially lead to increased load shedding. Factors contributing to Zimbabwe’s ongoing power shortages include rising demand due to economic growth, aging infrastructure at coal-fired plants like Hwange, and occasional grid failures.
ZRA, overseeing the Zambezi River’s management, announced a maintenance of the 16 billion cubic meters (BCM) water allocation for 2024, allowing for an average power production of 428MW, equally shared between Zimbabwe and Zambia. This allocation will be reviewed next month based on rainfall and inflow data.
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Kariba Dam, designed to operate between 475.50m and 488.50m for hydropower generation, has seen declining water levels, currently at 477.62m. Low inflows and reduced rainfall, coupled with an ongoing dry spell, have impacted storage, prompting concerns of increased load shedding in the coming months.
Experts predict a downward revision of water allocation for electricity generation, considering the prolonged dry spell and impending end of the rainy season. This may lead to further load shedding in the country as water levels continue to decline.
