Zimpapers Logo

Patrick Chitumba Senior Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) has shut down the Bulawayo Power Station to facilitate maintenance work after it broke down last week, ZPC general manager, Noah Gwatidzo, confirmed yesterday.Gwatidzo said the closure wouldn’t result in any increased load shedding since demand for power has come down as a number of companies have closed for the festive season.

The thermal power station was shut down last Friday and is expected to be opened on December 21, in the process taking more than 40 megawatts (MW) off the national grid over that period.

“We haven’t shut down the plant as it were, but we’re carrying out minor maintenance works due to a breakdown,” said Gwatidzo.

“The works taking place will not change anything in terms of load shedding because there has been a decline in demand for power since many companies have closed for the Christmas and New Year holidays.”

In an update on its website, the power company said: “Station was shut down on 12/12/14 at 0345hrs due to insufficient feed water. It is expected back in service on 21/12/14.”

It added: “Generator 3 is out of commission due to on-going condenser cleaning, Gen 4 is out of commission due to on-going condenser cleaning and Gen 5 refurbishment works to be carried out during the repowering project.”

The Bulawayo power station was mothballed for more than 10 years and brought back to service in 2011 when power shortages intensified, but is only producing around 40MW from its installed capacity of 90MW.

The thermal power station was commissioned in the 1950s and was transferred to the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority from council in 1987.

The plant has shut down several times this  year due to problems associated with aging machinery.

Zimbabwe is currently generating about half of its 2,200MW power requirements, leaving industry and households to grapple with electricity cuts.