Zimbabwe launches campaign to save energy

Nov 22, 2006, 10:08 GMT

Harare - Energy-starved Zimbabwe has launched a campaign to save electricity, urging locals to switch off lights, hot water tanks and computers to stave off more frequent power cuts, it was reported Wednesday.

'Are you tired of blackouts? Play your part!' reads an advert in the state-controlled Herald newspaper. Adverts will run every week for three months as part of a campaign being launched with the backing of the South Korean community in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabweans, who have become used to scheduled - and unscheduled - blackouts known as load-shedding, are being advised to switch off home electricity appliances and lights when not in use and to turn off idle computers.

They're also being told to switch off their cooking plates three minutes before cooking time is up, using the residual heat from the stove to finish preparing their food.

'Don't play the blame game when it comes to electricity,' the advert urges.

Zimbabwe has suffered from shaky power supplies now for months, a situation that is being blamed on the country's delapidated power generation infrastructure as well as vandalism and theft of cables.

The local electricity supply authority complains that it is not allowed to charge viable prices for the commodity, although tariff hikes of up to 270 per cent were approved last month.

Already struggling with shortages of many other commodities including fuel, foreign currency and some basic foodstuffs, Zimbabweans have had to find ways of dealing with their unpredictable power supply.

Those with means buy generators and those without have resorted to chopping firewood.

The southern African nation imports at least 35 per cent of its electricity supply from Mozambique, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

There are fears Zimbabwe will be badly hit next year, when a regional power deficit will mean that formerly-exporting countries will no longer be able to meet outside demand.

Efforts to conserve electricity will be beneficial to all, the organisers of the campaign promise.

'By saving electricity, interruptions of factory operations will be lessened and the streets will be safer with better lighting,' reads a statement quoted by the Herald.