• Zimbabwe's national grid produced 1,395 MW, the highest in over six months
• The Hwange power plant generated 1,137 MW, its highest output
• Companies like NamPak Zimbabwe Limited and Tanganda Tea reported production challenges due to intermittent power supply

Harare-Zimbabwe has seen a significant increase in daily electricity generation, with the national grid producing 1,395 megawatts (MW) today, its highest output in over six months according to Zimbabwe Power Company ,marking a positive development for a country struggling with recurring blackouts.

The rise is attributed to improved recent upgrades at Hwange Power Station, including the synchronization of new units, and increased contributions from Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

Headlining the output was Hwange power plant which generated 1,137 MW, its highest output.

This comes after units 7 and 8 came back online from Class C maintenance, producing 600 MW, while units 1 to 6 increased output due to ongoing upgrades.

There was also a significant increase in IPPs which is the highest since the 3^rd of February 2025, generating 73 MW.

Lake Kariba water levels gradually rose to 6.17% as of February 3, 2025, from 3.09% in early January,  giving a rise to electricity output at Kariba from below 100MW since last year around October to 185MW.

The increase is expected to sustain given that more rains come.

This gives a total of around 1,393 MW against a peak demand of circa 2,000 MW, leaving a deficit of around 600 MW.

The shortage of electricity in the country has been a persistent challenge, leading to chronic blackouts lasting up to over 18 hours in some areas, disrupting business operations and households.

According to the Chamber of Commerce, electricity costs now consume approximately 20% of miners' total revenues ,increasing operational cost.

In the third quarter of 2024, Zimstat revealed a 45% uptick in electricity imports, with the country bringing in 611.1 gigawatt-hours (GWh).

These frequent power outages hinders productivity, forcing companies to rely on costly backup generators.

NamPak Zimbabwe Limited, a leading packaging firm, in its first quarter that ended December 31, 2024, experienced a 13% decline in volumes and attributed it to intermittent power disruptions, leading to increased operational costs and a rise in plant breakdowns, stemming from the resultant stop-start production process.

Meanwhile, Tanganda Tea also attributed its production challenges across all its sectors to inadequate electricity supply, as the company needs electricity energy in processing its teas.

To mitigate these challenges, Tanganda installed battery-supported solar energy in its tea estates.

The government is pushing for investments in renewable energy, particularly solar and wind energy.

Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, while presenting the 2025 National Budget, emphasized the government's dedication to supporting renewable energy initiatives and facilitating financial agreements for IPPs.

Large electricity consumers like miners and manufactures are being encouraged to invest in their own energy generation to mitigate reliance on the grid.

By 2030, Zimbabwe projects power demand to triple to 5000 MW, showing the need to speed up new energy investments.

Energy developer Tatanga Energy has signed a 30MW power purchase agreement with Greenco.

Tatanga is licensed to develop an initial 50MW solar plant at Sable Chemicals, Kwekwe. Old Mutual Life launched a US$100 million private equity fund targeting renewable energy investments.

The National Renewable Energy Policy aims to add 2,100 MW of renewable energy by 2030, focusing primarily on solar and hydro projects.

As of 2025, key power projects underway in Zimbabwe include the expansion of the Hwange coal power plant (adding 720MW), multiple solar plants like the 200MW Jinan Solar Power Plant in Gweru developed by Afrochine and Titan, with a focus on boosting energy capacity through both thermal and solar power generation, aiming to significantly alleviate load shedding by the end of the year.

If the installation of more power plants from alternative sources like solar and wind, and maintenance of existing infrastructure continues, there are possibilities that electricity generation might continue to rise, providing a stable and reliable energy supply for the country's economic growth and development.

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