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Business Reporter
THE Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has increased water allocation to the Zimbabwe Power Company and the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation by 32 percent resulting in the two countries improving power generation.

In a statement yesterday, ZRA public relations and communications manager, Ms Elizabeth Karonga, said the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (Zesco) would jointly use the 23 billion cubic metres of water up to the end of the year.

She said at the end of July, the Kariba Reservoir was 85 percent full, which is two metres below the full operating level and 11 metres above the minimum operating level.

“The Zambezi River Authority has therefore, increased the water allocated to the two power stations for power generation.

“Accordingly, Zesco Limited and Zimbabwe Power Company will be expected to jointly use approximately 23 billion cubic metres for the remaining period of the year 2018, bringing the total annual allocation to 45 billion cubic metres for 2018,” said Ms Karonga.

“This is an increase of 32 percent from the original 2018 water allocation and is expected to help increase electricity generation at Kariba Dam.”

With this water allocation, Ms Karonga said, the Lake Kariba level was expected to close the year at about 7 metres above the minimum operating level, representing close to 58 percent usable storage for electricity generation.

“In 2015 and 2016, the Sadc region in general, and the Zambezi River Catchment in particular, received average to below average rainfall due to the El-Nino effect experienced during that time,” she said.

“This resulted in below average inflows into Lake Kariba and the corresponding low end-of-year lake levels of 14 percent for 2015, 15 percent for 2016 and 37 percent for 2017.

“The low lake levels signified a great reduction in available water for power generation activities at the two power stations,” said Ms Karonga.

She said to mitigate the negative effects of the El-Nino on the water levels recorded at Kariba at the time; her organisation in consultation with the two power utilities reduced the allocated water for electricity generation from 40,5 billion cubic metres in 2015 to strictly 20 and 30 billion cubic metres in 2016 and last year respectively.

Ms Karonga said ZRA has been conserving water and thus water was also available for power generation in the coming year.

“ZRA will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the sustained availability of water for power generation at Kariba Dam,” she said.