THE Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) says inflows into Lake Kariba and other upstream gauging stations since January 1 were encouraging, raising hope of increased power generation from the dam’s turbines.
In November last year, ZRA announced that water levels in the lake were low and ordered the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) to cut electricity generation at the Kariba South Power Station by half to preserve water in the dam.
ZRA is responsible for the allocation of water used by the country’s Kariba South and Zambia’s Kariba North Power Stations.
Kariba is the largest man-made dam in the world, providing the bulk of electricity consumed in both Zambia and Zimbabwe.
On November 25, ZRA wrote to ZPC that the Kariba South Power Station had used more than its 2022 water allocation, hence the need to scale down.
Zimbabwe and Zambia use a similar amount of water for power generation.
In its latest update, ZRA said Lake Kariba had recorded significant inflows since January 1.
“The lake level that has been decreasing has now started showing some increasing trend in the past few days due to increase in local rainfall activity on and around the lake,” ZRA said in a statement.
“While the levels in the lake are exceedingly low at the moment, it is encouraging to note that from January 1, 2023, inflows are indicating some marginal increase at Kariba and other gauge reading stations dotted upstream of the Kariba Dam. As per hydrological simulations, we should start seeing some significant increase towards the close of January.”
“The period under review closed at 475,68m (1,32% usable storage or live storage) on January 5, 2023, compared to 478,25m (19,17% usable storage) recorded on the same date last year.”
The Kariba North Bank Power Station has an installed capacity of 1 080 megawatts (MW), while the Kariba South Bank Power Station in Zimbabwe has a capacity of 1 050MW.
Kariba’s water level has been decreasing steadily over the years due to recurrent droughts and low inflows into the Zambezi River and its tributaries.
If it was announced way back in November last year that the water levels were inadequate why did the president at his press briefing deny that there was not going to be no loadshedding…” Because the works that we have been doing in the background”?
We are just waiting for 2026
Better you solve these issues we are facing before that time comes otherwise we poor people are crying on the ground it’s just that you don’t know the pain we are passing through better late than never
Tayali has a better description for this presidency. Hakainde was even talking about Kazungula bridge which was built under mighty PF that his spent millions on that project and his government is realizing money from it. The only president UWABUFI
Just like magic, the water inflows improved after the presidential entourage successfully urinated in the dam as advised by an MP. These chaps are not serious.
Ayapa HH
Lies have short legs….stop being a government of lies…no wonder you’re failing to manage the country….CHIPANTE PANTE GOVERNMENT…..
Busy exporting power and lying to the whole nation that there are low water levels at Kariba. Shame! And that’s the most upsetting thing about all this nonsense, lying to the entire nation that loadshedding was a thing of the past
Stup1d And irrational blog
Government of lies….no wonder we don’t develop….now you can imagine what’s going on behind closed…these guys are looting and finishing off all what was left by PF….robbing poor Zambians every day and feeding them with motivation speeches
My message to all Zambians is “LETS WORK TOGETHER AS ZAMBIANS AND WE SHOULD STOP THESE POLITICIANS FROM LYING TO THE NATIONAL…ENOUGH IS ENOUGH…EXPORTING ELECTRICITY SO THAT THEY CAN EXCESS MONEY TO PAY HEFTY SALARIES TO THEIR DIRECTORS AND THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT HH GETTING HIS CUT….SO JUST STOP LOADSHEDDING NOW…YOU’VE BEEN CAUGHT RED HANDED STEALING FROM THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE AND MAKING THEIR LIVES MISERABLE…just like magic Kariba is almost full and two days ago it was empty..Shame on you HH and your minions
Grant- Lake Kariba is not ALL MOST FULL its gone up 8cm Big Deal
Lets get some facts straight, the dam usable water level has increased by 8cm in 7 days, take in evaporation of the lake 1cm a day that means the lake has risen 1cm (10 mil) in a week, big deal. In correct fact from story is the lake is dropping for yrs due to draught wrong the Zambezi river been at its best flooding levels between 2017 and now. but in the last decade the Chinese have added 6 more turbines to the existing 6 at the dam now 12, so of course the water level dropped, down stream at Cabora Basa dam its at 94% full and producing power at 98% in fact they are releasing water as they worry it will over flow.
In fact -Dams expensive to build and use up valuable land that could be used for agriculture. Solar and batteries can go almost any where including rooftops and much cheaper. wake up