Zimbabwe and Zambia are ramping up efforts to accelerate key power generation projects, including the 2,400-megawatt Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electricity Scheme and the Kariba Floating Solar PV Plant, to address persistent electricity shortages. The call was made during the 43rd Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) Council of Ministers Meeting in Victoria Falls.
Zambian Minister of Energy, Honourable Makozo Chikote, emphasized the urgency of cutting bureaucratic delays, saying, "All we want is for the Batoka Hydro-Electricity Scheme to be done like yesterday... This is a flagship project for Zambia and Zimbabwe, critical for growing our economies".
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The projects are expected to significantly boost generation capacity and improve energy security for both economies. The Kariba Floating Solar PV Plant will contribute to diversifying the region's energy mix and create employment opportunities.
Encouraging rainfall patterns ahead of the 2025/26 rainy season have also raised hopes for improved power generation. Zimbabwe's Minister of Energy, Honourable July Moyo, noted that hydrological data indicates improved water flows in the Zambezi River.
The ZRA has announced an increase in the 2026 power-generation water allocation at Kariba Dam to 30 billion cubic metres, up from 28 billion cubic metres this year. Zimbabwe and Zambia will each receive 15 billion cubic metres of water for electricity generation in 2026.
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