Oscar J Jeke- Zim Now Reporter
The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company will allocate US$50 million from a recently secured US$210 million facility with Afreximbank to fund power imports, in a bid to stabilise electricity supply.
The loan, described by officials as a landmark investment, will also be used to modernise and strengthen Zimbabwe’s transmission and distribution infrastructure.
In addition to imports, the package includes US$5 million for upgrading the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system, which monitors and manages grid performance, as well as significant allocations for smart metering technology and anti-vandalism measures.
ZETDC said the facility will play a critical role in tackling Zimbabwe’s persistent power shortages. “ZETDC has secured a US$210 million facility from Afreximbank to enhance Zimbabwe's power network.
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This investment will upgrade our national grid, implement smart metering, and combat vandalism. A more efficient future is on the horizon,” the utility said in a statement.
Power imports are expected to provide short-term relief as the country continues to grapple with frequent blackouts caused by limited generation capacity and ageing infrastructure.
Zimbabwe currently supplements its domestic output with imports from Mozambique’s Electricidade de Moçambique, Zambia’s Zesco, and South Africa’s Eskom.
However, supply agreements with these utilities are often constrained by payment arrears and growing demand in their respective countries, making consistent inflows of power uncertain.
Officials say the new Afreximbank funding will help secure more reliable contracts with regional suppliers.
The Afreximbank facility comes at a time when Zimbabwe’s demand for electricity is being driven by expanding mining and industrial activity, with authorities estimating that the mining sector alone will require an additional 2,000MW in the coming years.
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