Zambezi River Authority increases 2025 water allocation

The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has announced an increase in water allocation for power generation in 2025 to 27 billion cubic meters (BCM), a significant rise from the 16 BCM allocated at the beginning of 2024. This allocation is shared equally between Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and Zambia's Zesco, with each company receiving 13.5 BCM.

In a recent update regarding the situation at Lake Kariba, ZRA Chief Executive Engineer Munyaradzi Munodawafa emphasized that the authority based its decision on hydrological simulations and predictions from the Southern African Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF) for the upcoming season.

"The authority, in collaboration with Zesco and ZPC, has finalized the water allocation processes for power generation at Kariba Dam for the year 2025," stated Engineer Munodawafa. 
"Upon consulting both Zesco and ZPC, it was agreed that a total of 27 billion cubic meters of water be allocated for power generation at Kariba Dam for 2025."
The water allocation will be subject to review at the end of the first quarter of 2025, considering the actual rainfall performance during the 2024/2025 rainfall season, as well as river inflows and the water levels at Kariba Dam.

SARCOF has forecasted that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is likely to experience normal to above-normal rainfall during the upcoming season. However, meteorological departments in Zimbabwe and Zambia have downscaled these predictions, suggesting that the Kariba lower catchment area in northern Zimbabwe and the northeastern section of the Zambezi River catchment in Angola may experience below-normal rainfall from October 2024 to January 2025.

The ZRA's proactive measures in water allocation come amid growing concerns about the impact of climate variability on hydropower generation in the region. The collaborative approach between the ZRA, ZPC, and Zesco aims to ensure sustainable power generation while addressing the challenges posed by changing weather patterns.