HARARE, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government on Tuesday encouraged private companies to generate their own electricity to reduce demand on the national grid.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet media briefing in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare, Minister of Energy and Power Development July Moyo said the country is recording an increase in the number of private companies that are setting up their own power plants amid the ongoing power shortages.

Moyo noted that by generating their own power, the firms are not only contributing to import substitution in the power sector but also boosting the power supply to attract foreign direct investment.

The minister also encouraged farmers to invest in renewable energy, especially solar and biogas, as they are more cost-effective.

Zimbabwe is grappling with power shortages due to insufficient generation capacity resulting from obsolete power infrastructure and last year's El Nino-induced drought that reduced power generation at its major hydropower stations.

The reduced power generation, coupled with inadequate foreign currency to finance electricity imports, has exacerbated frequent and prolonged power outages in the country. Enditem

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