By McGeorge Mbare
Zimbabwe experienced another widespread electricity blackout this week on Tuesday evening, plunging several parts of the country including the capital into darkness.
The Zimbabwean Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has attributed the power outage to an imbalance on the international connectors.
In a statement, ZETDC highlighted that the national grid experienced a system of disturbance resulting in thenational blackout.
“ZESA holdings would like to advice its valued customers that the national grid experienced a system disturbance which resulted in a national blackout on Tuesday, December 17, 2024,at 1255 hours. This incident was caused by an imbalance in power on the international connections which affected the national grid of Zimbabwe and some parts of the region, “ read the ZETDC statement.
Meanwhile, ZETDC has also highlighted that power restoration to most parts of the country has been completed except those areas under load shedding.
“Restoration to most parts of the country has been completed, except for areas under load shedding…meanwhile as per our earlier communication last month we would like to advice our valued stakeholders that Hwange Unit 8 has started undergoing the scheduled annual class c maintenance.Meausures are being taken to ensure adequate power supply during the festive season.”
The latest national blackout comes hard on the heels of another experienced at the back end of November attributed to a system failure. Zimbabwe like most of her Southern African peers has been experiencing power challenges leading to massive loadshedding especially in Zambia and Zimbabwe.