ZESA Confirms Major Power Cuts In March 2025 – Here’s Why
Zimbabwe is heading for one of its worst power crises in recent years. March 2025 is set to be a dark month as two major power units at Hwange Power Station will be taken offline for maintenance. This will slash the country’s electricity generation, leaving millions of Zimbabweans grappling with longer and more frequent blackouts.
ZESA Holdings has officially confirmed that Unit 6 and Unit 7 at Hwange will be out of service in March, worsening an already dire power supply situation.
Hwange Shutdowns To Deepen Power Woes
ZESA Holdings has announced that Hwange Unit 7, a newly commissioned 300MW unit, will undergo Class B maintenance from 2nd to 29th March 2025. This will be followed by the shutdown of Unit 6, an older 150MW generator, for statutory maintenance from 15th March to 14th May 2025.
“Hwange Power Station Unit 6 will be taken offline for statutory maintenance from March 15th to May 14th, 2025. This is being carried out to ensure readiness for increased generation during the peak winter season,” ZESA Holdings stated.
The timing of these shutdowns has raised concerns among Zimbabweans, as the country is already struggling with an electricity deficit. Hwange Power Station is currently generating 1,076MW, contributing to a total national output of 1,341MW. However, peak electricity demand in Zimbabwe is approximately 2,700MW, meaning the country is already producing less than half of what is required.
Electricity Crisis Set To Worsen
With two key units shutting down, the power supply gap will widen, leading to longer and more frequent blackouts. ZESA has promised to carefully manage the limited power available at Kariba Power Station, but low water levels continue to restrict output.
“Kariba Power Station, which is primarily operating as a peaking plant, will be managed carefully to address the periods of low supply caused by these outages,” ZESA assured consumers.
Discent Bajila, a Member of Parliament, has warned that Zimbabweans should prepare for the worst.
“This announcement simply means that March 2025 will be a dark month for Zimbabweans,” Bajila stated.
Despite the power cuts, Zimbabweans on fixed electricity tariffs will still be required to pay the same amount.
“Unfortunately, for those using the fixed charges system, the payment remains FIXED,” Bajila added.
What Lies Ahead?
ZESA has apologised in advance for the disruptions but has not provided any alternative solutions to ease the crisis.
“We would like to sincerely apologise to our valued customers for any inconveniences that will be caused during this period,” the power company stated.
As winter approaches, electricity demand will rise even further, increasing pressure on the fragile power grid. The current maintenance works are meant to ensure the units are in top condition for peak winter consumption. However, until these repairs are completed, Zimbabweans must brace for a challenging period of prolonged load shedding.
Follow Us on Google News for Immediate Updates
Tim. E. Ndoro
Timothy Ndoro is an enthusiastic storyteller, budding photographer, and aspiring author. By day, he works at iHarare.com where he is able to take his passion for learning and exploring the world around him and share it with the world. His thirst for knowledge and the insatiable need to understand everything has led him to become a polymath, and his goal is to one day be referred to as such.
From words to images and video, he loves to capture and document the world around him and share his experiences. He is never without a book in his hand and is always picking up and learning new skills and arts.
If you want to connect and hear more about his journey, you can reach him at [email protected].
English