Most parts of Zimbabwe have been plunged into darkness as the country’s power shortages get worse amid revelations that Mozambique’s Hydro Cabora Bassa and Snel of the Democratic Republic of Congo have cut supplies over the non-payment for supplies by the cash strapped ZESA Holdings.

Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company

While ZESA’s chief executive Ben Rafemoyo is busy misleading the nation that the power shortages are a result of faults at Hwange Power Station The Zimbabwe Gazette has it on good authority that the cut of power supplies from Mozambique have triggered the latest waves of power cuts.

“Mozambique and DRC have cut supplies over the non payment of a debt that dates back to August 2007 and we have been left with no option but to cut supplies to most residential areas while priotitising important institutions such as hospitals.”

The source revealed that in a desperate move to avoid the power cuts by Mozambique ZESA Holdings had last Monday paid Mozambican power firms by US$7 million, bringing to US$35 million the amount it has paid to Hidroelectrica de Mocambique and Electrica de Mocambique in a space of two months.

However, this was not enough to pacify the Mozambicans who cut supplies over the weekend warning that they will only reconnect Zimbabwe if Zesa Holdings clears half the debt which is now believed to have ballooned to over US$ 100 million.

A seemingly confused Rafemoyo confirmed that Mozambique and the DRC had cut supplies but disputed that the moves were in response to the non payment of debts but operational challenges faced by the two regional countries.

“Yes supplies have been cut but these have nothing to do with the non payment of debts but the operational challenges being faced by Cahora Bassa and Snel as a result of the power shortages that SADC has been experiencing since last year.”

The ZESA Holdings boss could not say with certainty when the power situation would improve but instead chose to focus on the power utility’s ambitious project to revive operations at Harare, Munyati and Bulawayo power stations.

Rafemoyo revealed that ZESA had set aside $ 1 trillion for the project while it is waiting for the release of the $ 5.4 trillion it was allotted in the 2008 budget to start paying Hwange for the supply of coal to the three power stations.

“We have a team that is working at ensuring that the three power stations are up and running and above that we have recorded significant progress in the refurbishment of Hwange power station in partnership with our Namibian counterparts,” he said.

Initially scheduled to end in December the upgrading of unit number three at Hwange, which is being carried out under the US$50 million inter-utility deal between ZESA Holdings and NamPower is expected to boost power output by 480 megawatts.

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