2 weeks Ago By Chief Editor
Climate change-related droughts have caused a significant drop in water levels on Lake Kariba, severely impacting hydropower generation in both Zambia and Zimbabwe. The lake, shared by the two countries and situated on the Zambezi River, is experiencing its lowest water levels in history due to ongoing droughts exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon. Zambia’s power utility, ZESCO, announced that the critically low water levels, now down to just 8% of usable storage, will force the shutdown of the Kariba North Bank Power Station on September 14, 2024.
The lake’s live water storage, essential for hydropower, has dwindled to just 1.26 meters, leaving Zambia and Zimbabwe with no choice but to scale back electricity generation drastically. The crisis has led to severe power cuts across Zambia, with outages extending up to 20 hours daily, while Zimbabwe faces cuts of up to 12 hours.
Both nations, heavily reliant on hydropower, are now rushing to diversify their energy sources. Zambia is exploring emergency power imports and investing in new coal and solar power plants to mitigate the energy shortfall. Experts warn that the situation could worsen before the rainy season, expected in three months.
The ongoing drought highlights the urgent need for southern African nations to adapt to the impacts of climate change and expand their energy portfolios to ensure stability and security..
