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because of the depressed capacity to import power from the region and low generation at local stations.

A statement released on Sunday for the southern region, which covers Bulawayo, Matabeleland South, North and Midlands showed that most areas including urban areas, farms, business centres, institutions, industrial areas and rural areas would have load-shedding for six days a week.

Although some areas would still have load- shedding on the same days they used to have, residents should now brace for double power cuts, as the power utility would extend power cuts depending on availability of power on any particular day.

Five essential services areas namely major referral hospitals, water and sewer installations, national security establishments, major airports and broadcasting stations and central business districts would be exempted from load-shedding.

Major winter wheat clusters would receive priority supplies.

The power utility last week pledged three days of uninterrupted supplies a week to  winter wheat farmers who are heavily reliant on electricity to provide constant moderate temperature and water supplies to their crops.

“The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company is experiencing a power shortfall due to generation constraints at Hwange Power Station, the low dispatch at the small thermal power stations and power import constraints,” read part of the statement.

Zesa noted that the shortfall in power supply could only be managed through load- shedding, as there was a need to balance power supply and demand.

The demand for power in the country peaks at about 2 100MW during winter.

At the moment on load-shedding days, if an area had power in the morning, it would not have power in the afternoon until evening but under the new timetable, some areas would now have a blackout for the rest of the day.

The intensity of load-shedding would depend on available power and demand per day, according to the statement.

“The power situation is dynamic and load-shedding on a day will depend on the power available and power demanded.

“In the event the supply shortfalls fall below anticipated averages on a particular day, then the additional areas indicated on the schedules will be load-shed,” said  Zesa.

Over the past few years, Zesa has been under fire from residents who alleged the billing system was unreliable as they were paying huge bills despite not having electricity for half of the day when there would be load-shedding.

Zesa has also appealed to customers to manually switch off domestic geysers and water heaters between 5pm and 8pm to enable more residential areas to have power.

This also applies to commercial customers who have been called upon to switch off lights, office equipment and appliances that would not be in use overnight or during the day.

The power utility is owed more than $450 million by customers.

Last year, residents associations mobilised residents especially those who pay fixed monthly electricity charges to take note of the times they go without power to stop Zesa from “continuing to cheat them”.