Zesa transformer blows leaving Kuwadzana in dark

By Tichaona Sibanda
28 September 2006

A newly refurbished electrical transformer at a Kuwadzana sub-station blew up Thursday afternoon, knocking out power in the area and condemning residents to yet another lengthy period without electricity.

The transformer had undergone extensive and costly repairs after it was destroyed in March when thieves stole cables and oil from the sub-station. It will have to be replaced following Thursday’s incident.

For most residents in Kuwadzana 3, the power black-out following the explosion is like lightning striking twice, after their earlier long and uncomfortable period without power.

A power failure that lasts longer than a week in Zimbabwe can have significant consequences and thugs often reign supreme operating under the cover of darkness.

Simon Muchemwa, our Harare correspondent, visited the scene and witnessed chaos as a fire-engine that had been summoned there ran out of water. Two hours after the explosion, the fire was still raging uncontrollably, threatening to engulf nearby houses.

‘There is confusion and bitterness among the residents here. The situation has been compounded by the fire brigade’s failure to save the transformer and the residents know it will take months before a new one is installed,’ Muchemwa said.

What sparked the explosion Thursday could have been an attempt by Zesa engineers on site trying to switch on the transformer. They had just poured 800 litres of oil when there was a sudden deafening bang sending everyone in the vicinity scurrying for safety. It usually costs around Z$100 million to refurbish a damaged transformer and billions more to replace destroyed ones.