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Business Reporter
Zimbabwe is seeking to come up with a long term plan to improve availability of power to support the country’s social and economic policies, the Government said yesterday.

The Government, through the Ministry of Energy and Power Development has invited bids from consultants to produce a National Integrated Energy Policy Plan that will provide a cost effective resource plan for meeting energy demand with reliable energy supply.

“The consultancy work will involve examining available energy resources and determining the least cost energy supply options, evaluating the security of supply options while providing information on the opportunities for investment into new energy projects.

“The consultant will develop the NIERP and associated strategy and action plan that will also establish market oriented and regulatory instruments for investment in the energy sector,” said the Government. The plan should cover the period of up to year 2014.

Zimbabwe is facing power shortages as demand far outstrip the country’s generation capacity.

Hwange Thermal Power Station, the country’s biggest power plant has capacity to produce 920 megawatts and is currently producing less than 400 MW due to recurrent breakdowns.

Low water levels at Lake Kariba has seen Kariba Hydro, with capacity on 730 megawatts, reducing production to around 400 MW, a development that has worsened power cuts.