BY OLIVER SAMBOKO
WATER levels at the country’s biggest hydroelectric power generation scheme, Kariba dam, has receded to 23.32 percent but improved compared to 18.67 percent recorded on the same period last year.
According to latest data from the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), as at December 6, 2021, the dam recorded 478.83m, and during the same period, the water at the regional largest man-made lake was 478.18m or 18.67 percent.
Lake Kariba is designed to operate between levels 475.50m and 488.50m (with 0.70m freeboard) for hydropower generation.
Last month, ZRA increased the amount of water allocated to both Zambia and Zimbabwe for power generation at Kariba by three billion cubic meters (3BCM).
The increase followed an announcement made on June, 23, 2021 where Zesco Limited and Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) were jointly granted an additional 12 billion cubic meters (12BCM) of water.
Consequently, the 2021 allocation increased from the initial combined allocation of 30 Billion Cubic Meters at the commencement of year to 42 Billion Cubic meters.
Currently, the Kariba North Bank Power Station is operating below its installed capacity of 1,080 megawatts of power, owing to reduced water levels in the dam caused poor rainfall.
