Zimbabwe’s installed power generation capacity has increased to 3,100 megawatts from 2,920MW, following the commissioning of several new Independent Power Producer projects, Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo announced.
Speaking during Tuesday’s post-Cabinet briefing in Harare, Minister Moyo said the rise was largely driven by private sector investments in captive power projects — facilities that generate electricity primarily for internal use, with excess power supplied to the national grid.
“Today we are talking about the power of production from the private sector, especially the captive power producers,” Moyo said. “We are gaining over 200 megawatts, and some of it is used for own consumption.”
Among the major contributors, the Prestige project in Pike Bridge has installed 100MW of captive power to support mining and steel production operations, with surplus energy expected to feed into the grid.
Related Stories
Another 100MW plant in Hwange’s Ilele area has also come online, although only 90MW is currently being supplied to the grid as commissioning continues.
Smaller renewable projects are also making an impact. The Kurume project, for instance, has increased its output to 3.2MW from 2.7MW, strengthening local supply and contributing to grid stability.
Minister Moyo said these developments reflect Zimbabwe’s growing embrace of private sector-led energy production to complement the national utility, ZESA Holdings, in addressing power shortages and driving industrial growth.
“With these additions, we are seeing positive movement in our energy security,” Moyo said.
“The private sector is now a key partner in ensuring reliable, sustainable power supply to support economic productivity.”
Zimbabwe’s energy sector has in recent years attracted increased interest from Independent Power Producers, particularly in solar and thermal projects, as the country works to diversify its energy mix and reduce reliance on imports.
Leave Comments