Zimbabwe has 2,771MW installed capacity, 1,795MW operating capacity and peak demand of 1,693MW. The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) operates a generation fleet comprising four thermal power stations that collectively supply electricity from four thermal and one hydro power stations. Hwange (920MW) Bulawayo (90 MW) Harare (30MW) and Munyati (100MW) and Kariba hydropower station which has an installed capacity of 1,050MW. There is increasing contribution from independent power producers who collectively produce 140MW from three bagasse projects (75%), eight mini hydro projects (23%); and one solar PV project (2%). 

The Energy Supply Industry in Zimbabwe consists of the Ministry of Energy and Power Development (MoEPD), the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) Holdings which is the national holding company for electricity generation, transmission and distribution companies.  ZPC is responsible for power generation while the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) is in charge of  both transmission and distribution of electricity. 

The Rural Electrification Fund (REF) is mandated to ensure universal access to energy by rural communities by 2030 through grid extension to off grid areas.  Zimbabwe belongs to the Southern Africa Power Pool and is also a member of the Regional Energy Regulators Association through the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA). The Department of Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy in the MoEPD is SACREEE’s National Focal Institution. 

The country has renewable energy targets of an additional 1,100MW by 2025, and 2,100 MW by 2030. The average national energy access rate is 62% with urban and rural access rates of 86% and 37% respectively ¹. 

1. ZIMSTAT, National Census (2022)