Cable manufacturer CAFCA lost 324 production hours during the six months to 31 March 2026 as persistent voltage fluctuations continued to disrupt operations, despite improvements in electricity availability.
In corresponding period prior year, the company lost just 99 hours of production, highlighting the growing impact of power quality issues on industry production.
Industry observers say ageing infrastructure within the national electricity network is increasingly affecting voltage stability, creating operational challenges for manufacturers that require consistent power supply.
In a commentary accompanying the group’s half-year financial results, company secretary Caroline Kangara said voltage instability had become a significant obstacle to production.
“324 hours of production were lost due to voltage fluctuations,” Kangara said.
She noted that CAFCA’s newly commissioned solar power plant begun operating in March and was expected to play a major role in reducing dependence on grid electricity.
“It is important to note that the solar plant went live in March and is expected to contribute 30 per cent of CAFCA’s power requirement going forward,” she said.
The solar installation generates 1 megawatt on the alternating current side and can produce up to 1.16 megawatts at peak capacity.
CAFC management views the investment as a strategic step toward lowering operating costs.
The company’s operations executive, Godfrey Mavera, recently said electricity accounted for around 10 per cent of total operating expenses.
According to him, the project offers savings beyond self-consumption, with surplus electricity being exported to the national grid under Zimbabwe’s net metering framework.
Part of the electricity generated by the solar facility will be supplied back into the grid, allowing CAFCA to earn credits that offset future energy costs.
Mavera said power exported during peak demand periods attracted a tariff of 23 US cents per kilowatt hour, compared with the standard rate of 13 US cents per kilowatt hour.
“ZESA has a Statutory Instrument on net metering where it credits the power producers, independent power producers like us, with credits at 85 per cent of what you have exported back into the grid at the rolling tariffs,” he said.
Despite the power-related disruptions, CAFCA delivered solid operational growth during the reporting period.
Total sales volumes rose by 14 per cent, supported by a 16 per cent increase in copper product volumes and a 10 per cent rise in aluminium volumes.
Retail sales recorded particularly strong growth, climbing 37 per cent as the company strengthened channel integration and improved customer service within its factory shop network.
Commercial sales posted modest growth of two per cent, while export volumes surged by 109 per cent following changes to the group’s distribution strategy and the discontinuation of the consignment stock model.
“The business continues to benefit from its agility in meeting customer lead times,” the company said.
Sales to utility customers, however, declined by 17 per cent as liquidity constraints within the sector limited purchasing activity.
CAFCA said utility companies remained committed to converting existing back orders into completed deliveries as financial conditions improved.
The stronger sales performance translated into improved financial results. Revenue increased by 24 per cent compared with the same period last year, driven by higher sales volumes and stronger copper prices.
Profit after tax jumped by 211 per cent, reflecting increased production volumes and the benefits of cost-saving measures introduced during the previous financial year.