POWER QUALITY is critical for the growth of the economy which has remained stagnant due to a myriad of challenges caused by the illegal sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) and United States.
The sanctions have not had the desired effect, regime change, but they have strangled, among other things, industry chiefly through crippling basic utilities.
And efforts to resuscitate the economy, pundits contend, will be boosted by ensuring quality service provision in the power sector.
Power quality is defined by the Asia Power Quality Initiative simply as a measure of an ideal power supply system.
It is an objective, measurable and clear metric that tells the state of the power being supplied in a country.
Having power quality means an improvement in power factor, reduction in maximum demand and charges and extended lifespan of machinery and reduction in utility disturbances.
Fortunately, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-ASSET), the Government’s economic blueprint for development, has identified energy as a key enabler to turnaround efforts.
Sustainable development, experts say, will hinge on a culture of continuous improvement in the energy sector.
Speaking during a Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) Power Quality workshop in Harare, chief executive officer, Engineer Gloria Magombo said power quality in the country will only be achieved by huge investments in the energy industry.
“There is need for investment in equipment (to achieve) power quality,” Engineer Magombo said.
“We currently have a model to improve on the power quality, quality of service and quality of supply in Zimbabwe and provide lasting solutions to the energy deficit, but everyone (has to) participate.”
Efforts to achieve power quality, she said, were being aided by opening up the sector to private players.
“This model (to achieve power quality) has seen the opening up of the industry and allowing Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to produce energy and contribute to the national grid,” she said.
Engineer Magombo said it took time to set-up power stations, but some players had completed works and were operating.
“At the moment, of the 15 licensed IPPs four are up and running,” she said.
“There is a lengthy project preparation process which requires bankable feasibility studies among other requirements before a project can take off often resulting in many years before the IPPs can begin to produce energy.”
Engineer Magorimbo said besides setting up new power stations, upgrades of existing stations were taking place.
“There is upgrading of the line and power stations in Chisumbanje, Triangle, and Hwange among others, but there is need for a lot of investment,” she said. “Projects such as the Nyamingura require US$2 to US$3 billion while the Hwange Seven and Eight requires US$1,3 billion.”
Power quality in the country, said Engineer Magombo, also meant that the rural folk must have access to power.
She said the energy sector would attract investors especially supported by the Zim-ASSET economic blueprint.
“With the various energy forms available, there is need not only for the urban consumers to have energy, but the rural consumers as well and these currently have no access to modern energy at the moment,” she said.
“The Zim-ASSET economic blueprint is good in that it provides the investors with an idea of where the country is headed making it safe for their investment. “Remember we are not the only country in the world and so having such a framework assures the investor that their money is safe.”
There are various projects currently producing energy in the country, among them the Chipendeke Mini-Hydro Project in Manicaland which are providing power to communities while others are feeding into the national grid.
Also speaking during the workshop, Professor Johan Rens of the North-West University, South Africa, said countries can only achieve sustainable development through provision of power quality.
“Power quality is a key performance parameter of a power system,” said Rens. “Quality of power supply is the strategic commodity for a developing country to evolve into a developed country.
“The foundation of regulatory principles, technical standards, power quality concepts and power quality analysis among other factors are necessary for an improved culture of continuous improvement.
“There is need for visionary leadership in the power industry, development and implementation of best practices.
“There is also need for a monitoring policy to be aligned with a general framework for power quality management.”
Participants agreed that there was need to provide adequate economic incentives for the maintenance and construction of the necessary infrastructure and support of all stakeholders to improve power quality.