Zimbabwe: a powerless state
Zimbabwe has a serious shortage of electricity, but its neighbours have been reluctant to come to its aid because it has previously failed to honour its financial commitments to them
The prospects for Zimbabwe’s economy, which has been badly ravaged by fast-rising inflation, low disposable incomes and low exports, were already looking grim a few months ago. Now repeated power outages make the troubled country’s future look even more dire.
Power generation has dropped dramatically at the Kariba hydropower station, Zimbabwe’s primary source of electrical energy. In March output fell almost 600MW as a result of poor seasonal rains — from 1,476MW to 890MW. Late last week, according to the August 8 Zimbabwe Power Company generation report, it was producing just 250MW — and that output is unlikely to change until the rainy season starts in about October and water levels improve...
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