- Zimbabwe is facing extended power cuts this week
- Units 1 and 2 are undergoing repairs for a technical fault; Unit 1 is expected to return by the end of May 6, 2025
- Some suburbs are experiencing daily blackouts lasting up to 12 hours, disrupting households and businesses
Harare-Zimbabwe is bracing for prolonged power cuts this week as several units at the Hwange Thermal Power Station, the country’s largest power plant, are offline, intensifying an already critical electricity shortage.
According to the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) ,Units 1 and 2 are undergoing repairs due to a technical fault, with Unit 1 expected to be back online by the end of Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
‘’The first unit is expected to return to service by end of day Tuesday the 6th of May 2025. ZPC is working diligently to restore full generation and ensure supply stability by the end of this week,’’ ZPC said.
The deficit is worsened by Unit 6 as it is under scheduled Class B maintenance and will remain offline until May 14.
As a result, some suburbs are enduring blackouts lasting up to 12 hours daily, disrupting households and businesses.
The Hwange Thermal Power Station have a total installed capacity of 1,520 MW but is currently generating only 670 MW per day, the lowest output since March 25 2025 when it fell to 594 MW and a sharp decline from its recent peak of 979 MW on May 3.
This 300 MW shortfall has forced the ZPC to implement aggressive load shedding, exacerbating economic challenges.
When operational, Units 1 and 2 each contribute approximately 120 MW, totalling 240 MW combined, and their absence has weakened Hwange’s output.
Unit 6, offline since 15 March 2025 for Class B maintenance, typically generates 150 MW, and its absence further strains the grid, with its return expected to bolster capacity by May 14.
With Units 1, 2, and 6 online, their combined contribution of 390 MW (240 MW from Units 1 and 2, plus 150 MW from Unit 6) would increase Hwange’s current output of 670 MW to a potential 1,060 MW per day, significantly easing the power shortage.
Zimbabwe’s peak electricity demand circa 2000 MW per day, but total generation on May 6 was only 1,145 MW, including 400 MW from the Kariba South Hydropower Station and 75 MW from Independent Power Producers (IPPs), leaving a deficit of approximately 1,055 MW.
To address this crisis and reduce reliance on aging coal plants like Hwange, renewable energy solutions are gaining traction.
Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) in collaboration with the governments of Zimbabwe and Zambia proposed 300 MW floating solar plant on Lake Kariba, backed by a $300 million private investment that could diversify the energy mix by late 2026, while a 100 MW solar plant by Great Zimbabwe Energy in Matabeleland South is planned for 2026.
These projects, alongside smaller IPP-led solar and biomass initiatives, aim to bolster Zimbabwe’s grid, but their delayed timelines offer no immediate relief.
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