Zimbabwe: Emergency Outage At Hwange Power Station Caused By Acidic Water Contamination

The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZETDC) has said the recent technical fault at Hwange Power Station Unit was caused by a tube leak, which affected all units.

This follows a notice issued Sunday, by the power utility stating that the fault would necessitate increased load-shedding.

In a statement, ZETDC said the acidic water caused fractures to boiler tubes, leading to severe damage to five units.

“Around the same time, abnormal water chemistry was detected, with the water exhibiting elevated conductivity and significantly low pH levels, indicating possible contamination by acidic material. This led to all units at the station being affected, causing an emergency outage at the plant.

“Subsequent investigations have identified the water treatment plant as the source of the contamination. Immediate corrective actions were taken, including isolation of the treatment plant and flushing out of all affected systems. The water supply has since been stabilized and is now adequate for plant operations.

“However, the acidic water has caused fractures to boiler tubes on the units. Significant tube leaks were identified on Units 1 and 2, while Units 3, 4 and 6, which were also online on the day, are being assessed,” reads the statement.

ZETDC has said that the affected 5 units are expected to be fully operational by Friday.

“Repairs are now in progress on units 1 and 2. The first unit is expected to return to service at midnight Tuesday into morning of Wednesday, 7 May 2025,” reads the statement.

“Pressure testing and repairs on Units 3, 4 and 6 are ongoing. This will be followed by requisite repairs. All five affected units are projected to be fully operational by the end of day on Friday, 9 May 2025.”

By New Zimbabwe.