Independent power producers, way to go – Gata

Source: Independent power producers, way to go – Gata | The Herald

Dr Gata

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter

Independent power producers are a panacea to optimum electricity supply as most Sadc countries have already moved towards that direction, Zesa Holdings executive chairman Dr Sydney Gata has said.

He said Zambia had 20 percent, Mozambique 35 percent while some countries such as Ireland had 50 percent, and if Zimbabwe was to support IPPs, it will be able to export extra energy and earn foreign currency.

Dr Gata said the country was heavily endowed with energy resources necessary to drive a viable electricity industry and to be a leader of the Sub-Saharan market.

He said this today during an event to commission motorbikes for use by ZETDC Revenue Assurance Operations and the official launch of Operation Usabe Magetsi/Lingebi aMagetsi.

“In general, we must accept that the world has changed to a position where electricity is now produced by the private sector, independent power producers and we also have public-private partnerships. If we had advanced this opportunity when it became available immediately after the unbundling of 2002, which created the office of a regulator, we should have been exporting electricity today,” said Dr Gata.

Zimbabwe has been battling long hours of load shedding owing to reduced electricity generation due to obsolete equipment and foreign currency-related challenges.