From correspondents in Harare
May 09, 2007 06:32pm
Article from: Reuters

ZIMBABWE'S Government announced 20-hour daily electricity cuts for households across the country today as supplies are shifted to irrigate the crucial winter wheat crop amid persistent food shortages.

The southern African country has already been experiencing frequent power cuts due to the declining capacity of its aging power plants which have seen very little new investment as the country battles severe foreign currency shortages.

Mines and factories have also been hit hard by regular power outages, which have caused a decline in production and contributed to an economic crisis and escalating political tensions over President Robert Mugabe's 27-year rule.

Up to $US2 billion ($2.4 billion) is required to install new equipment and expand production at the country's two main power plants in Hwange and Kariba to meet increased industrial and domestic demand, officials say.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21701156-1702,00.html

I'm not surprised. While this is not a 'political' forum, there is no denying the parallels between current Zimbabwe, and other, similar places that also ended up with .... power rationing.

In most of the other examples, the 'grid' was never adequate. Yet,the complete 'organized anarchy' there has resulted in the utter destruction of everything necessary for prosperity.

Revolutions tend to have revolting results.

Places like Zimbabwe would be ideal canidates for alternative energy technology to be set up & gain a strong foothold in the country, particuarly in the remote/bush areas.

Getting the technology into & then training the people to install & maintain the equipment would be a very interesting task indeed in such a large area that seems to be spread across a vast area without much modern infrastructure.

While a problem nearly everywhere, I'm sure that money is espeically a problem there.

And initial investment cost ist still the most important issue with most renewable energy sources.

You simply can't have an infrastructure where government sponsored armed gangs go around trashing stuff.

There's no point pouring money into an obscenely corrupt situation.

You can't expect any industry to survive where the local political philosophy is based upon the tenet thats that private property, profit, and the use of natural resources is wrong.

That country is far richer, in terms of natural resources, than almost any other. Everyone living there ought to be a millionaire- several times over. Much of the necessary infrastructure did, in fact, exist at one time.

Alternative energy? This is a place that STILL murders folks accused of "witchcraft!"

Reminds me of a joke we used to tell when I lived down south...

"What did they use in Zimbabwe before they had candles ?"

As has happened in some other African countries which were formerly British, French, Dutch etc. colonies. Without getting too political, while I'll admit that British rule was not always ideal, one can't deny that it did bring much investment in the infrastructure of roads, power, telephones, and so on.

"... Electricity!"

What a pity there's no oil there....

Actually, Alan ....

Maybe no oil, but darn near everything else of value that can come out of the ground is found there. Indeed, for some minerals they are in a position to dominate the market.

They have some of the most productive farmland to be found. That they have food shortages has more to do with shooting farmers, than anything else.

They have nature folks would gladly pay a premium to see in person.

There is simply no reason for this country to not be amongst the wealthiest and most modern in the world .... except a contemporary version of the Huns' sack of Imperial Rome.