ZESA Awaits Cabinet Still to Approve US$455m Hwange Refurbishment Jindal Deal

Zimbabwe’s long-awaited US$455 million refurbishment of Hwange Power Station is now waiting for Cabinet approval to a proposed partnership with Indian energy giant Jindal Steel & Power, ZESA has confirmed.

ZESA Group Acting Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Cleopas Nyachowe, said all technical and commercial evaluations have been complete for the refurbishment that will see the capacity of the six units upped to 900MW.
“We are ready to proceed once Cabinet has given the green light. The refurbishment of Units 1 to 6 is critical for restoring dependable base load and stabilising supply to the productive sectors, particularly mining,” he said.

Hwange's capacity jumped up 600MW when China's Sinohydro installed Unit 7 and 8.

The Jindal proposal, first announced in mid-2023, involves a full overhaul of Hwange Units 1–6, most of which were commissioned in the 1980s and are now operating far below capacity. The refurbishment is expected to restore 400–500MW of generation capacity, extending the plant’s life by at least 20 years.

Government fast-tracked the deal through the Energy Ministry, ZESA and the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), with the project structure — combining refurbishment financing, engineering input and performance-linked operation — reportedly agreed in principle.

It now requires Cabinet’s final authorisation before financial close; mobilisation and procurement can begin.

The delay comes at a time when Zimbabwe’s mining sector faces chronic power shortages, with lithium, gold and ferrochrome producers warning that inconsistent supply is constraining output and deterring new investment.