Zimbabwe restores power after national grid collapse

Zimbabwe has largely restored electricity to most of the country following a nationwide blackout that occurred Monday evening. The national grid collapsed at 6:24 pm local time due to a fault on the network, plunging most of the nation into darkness.

The state-owned power utility, Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), announced that power had been successfully restored to most bulk supply points across the country by 10:00 pm, utilizing supplies from various stations, including South Africa's Eskom. However, work continues to fully restore and synchronize units at the coal-fired Hwange power station, which is crucial for supplying parts of the capital, Harare.

The country has been plagued by recurring power shortages in recent years, stemming from aging infrastructure and insufficient generation capacity. Output from the Kariba hydropower plant, another primary electricity source, has also been hampered by low water levels attributed to poor rainfall and persistent droughts.