Zim to end electricity imports to end by 2025

Harare (New Ziana) – The government plans to stop importing power into the country completely by 2025 through various interventions that it is undertaking as part of the roadmap to electricity self-sufficiency, a Cabinet Minister said on Tuesday.

Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said this while answering questions during the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing.

He said Independent Power Producers are expected to contribute up to 500 Megawatts, while net metering will be pursued vigorously, grid losses minimised, and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority will be restructured.

Ncube said even with improved industrial production and manufacturing, the locally generated power will be sufficient.

Earlier, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere said Cabinet had considered and approved the Roadmap to Electricity Self-Sufficiency following a presentations by his Energy and Power Development counterpart, Edgar Moyo.

“Cabinet wishes to inform the nation that the current local generation capacity is 1 280 MW against the current average local demand of about 1 850 MW, leaving a deficit of about 400 MW. To cover the deficit, the country is currently importing power in the range of 200-500 MW,” he said.

“Regarding measures to resolve the operational challenges, the government will restructure the power utility company (ZESA); decommission and repurpose the small thermal power stations; contain technical and non-technical losses and implement various power saving initiatives. In the medium to long term, the government will embrace private sector led coal mining initiatives and new technologies such as green hydrogen, floating solar panels; battery energy storage systems and funding some of the renewable energy projects dotted around the country in order to increase domestic generation of electricity.”

According to the daily ZESA power generation, on Tuesday, Hwange was contributing 674 MW, Kariba 550MW while the contribution of IPPs remained a constant 38 MW from the previous day.

Electricity generation in Zimbabwe improved significantly following the commisioning of Units 7 and 8 at the Hwange Power Station this year with the government announcing plans to start refurbishing the older Units 1 to 6.

Recently ZESA has been implementing load shedding after it shut down Unit 6 for regular maintenance.

New Ziana