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Wallace Ruzvidzo Herald Reporter

THE recent higher levels of load-shedding is temporary while the new 300MW Hwange Thermal Power Station’s Unit 7 goes through evaluation after the Unit successfully completed its reliability run.

Zimbabwe Power Company expects the Unit to be back online “within the next few days”.

Its removal from the grid is also affecting Botswana as the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) notified its citizenry to brace for tight power supply as Zambian imports were affected by the need to take out of operation of the link via Zimbabwe while Unit 7 was checked out.

ZPC said they were working flat out to ensure the power situation returns to normalcy soon.

“We would like to advise our valued stakeholders that the Hwange Unit 7, which is still undergoing commissioning tests has successfully completed the reliability run. Our engineers have taken it off the grid for evaluation of all systems in preparation of the final phase of commissioning, the performance guarantees test.

“This entails temporary removal of 300MW from the grid resulting in our customers not enjoying the general power stability that had been obtaining in the past days. The Unit is expected back online within the next few days,” said ZPC.

In an interview with The Herald, Energy and Power Development Permanent Secretary Engineer Gloria Magombo said Government was pulling all the stops to ensure the sustainable operation of the Unit.

“From a safety point of view, we want to ensure it is able to behave in a way that if there is any challenge it should be able to remain operational without having to go off or even explode. It is a very critical period for us as a sector and we would like the public to bear with us. Yes, we are getting the 300MW but at times we have to take it off to make sure that we test at different levels,” she said.

Eng Magombo said Unit 7 was being prepared to commence commercial operation scheduled for next month.

“Between now and that time, the Unit will be coming in and out and producing power in the process, that is the difference between cold commissioning before you synchronise and hot commissioning when you have synchronised,” she said.

Botswana Power Corporation said the 400kV transmission line which links Botswana and Zimbabwe was out of service from 5 May until 9 May and so affecting the imports of 130MW from Zambia with Botswana seeking cover in the Southern African Power Pool.

“We would like the public to be aware of the tight power supply situation occasioned by the power line outage, which may force the Corporation to implement Rotational Load Shedding should we lose a Unit at Morupule B Power Station,” said BPC in a statement.