Botswana on edge as ZESCO power crisis threatens prolonged blackouts
The urgency is clear, unless immediate action is taken, Botswana could be on the brink of a serious electricity crisis with widespread social and economic consequences
BONGANI MALUNGA
Botswana’s electricity supply is under serious threat as ZESCO, the country’s primary power source, grapples with recurring outages, sparking fears of extended load shedding across the nation. Households and businesses are already feeling the strain and experts warn the situation could worsen if urgent interventions are not made.
ZESCO struggles amid rising demand
ZESCO has blamed the blackouts on technical faults and a rising demand that exceeds current supply capacity. In a statement released Tuesday, the company said, “ZESCO wishes to inform its valued customers that the reduced electricity supply currently being experienced in some areas is due to system instability affecting the electricity network. Our technical teams are actively working to resolve these challenges and restore stability.”
Severity of the crisis in Zambia
Reports from Zambia’s Copperbelt Province show the gravity of the situation. Minister Elisha Matambo has warned that outages could last up to 19 hours, with some areas experiencing up to 22 hours of power loss. ZESCO has faced criticism for failing to adhere to its usual load shedding schedules, leaving both citizens and businesses unable to plan ahead.
Unplanned outages disrupt daily life
The Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) has reported widespread unplanned outages in recent days, with some areas experiencing up to nine hours of scheduled load shedding. However, complaints on BPC’s social media pages indicate that some regions are enduring even longer blackouts. BPC attributes the disruptions to a “loss of cross-border supply from ZESCO in Zambia,” highlighting the country’s vulnerability to regional power instability.
Call for Conservation
BPC has urged citizens to use electricity sparingly and prepare for continued interruptions until stability is restored. The corporation warns that the power shortages could persist for an indefinite period, potentially affecting households, businesses and essential services across the country.
Impact on everyday life in Botswana
For the average Motswana, households face sudden and prolonged power cuts while businesses risk financial losses and critical services like hospitals, water treatment plants and fuel stations could be disrupted.
The last power crisis
The last major regional power crisis caused weeks of economic and social disruption, as Botswana was forced to renegotiate its payment terms with Eskom. Because of the country’s recent history of defaulting on payments, it faced the risk of extended load shedding in April this year, a crisis averted only after securing more favorable terms with the South African utility.