ZESA Holdings, Zimbabwe’s electricity provider, aims to eliminate load-shedding by next year and ensure universal access to electricity by 2030.
In an exclusive interview with The Herald in Harare on Thursday, ZESA executive chairman Sydney Gata outlined a strategy that involves enhancing local manufacturing, forming international partnerships, and increasing organizational efficiency.
Gata indicated that large companies will now manage their own energy supply risks rather than depending solely on the government and ZESA. He stated:
“We’ve determined that what we now refer to as competent customers should support themselves, although we are here to assist them.”
He emphasized that ZESA has begun addressing the backlog of connections this year and expects to end load-shedding by next year. He added:
“In 2026, our plan is to eliminate the connections backlog. By 2027, we aim to stop power imports and become a net exporter by 2028.”
The goal for 2029 is to achieve world-class power supply standards, ultimately providing universal electricity access by 2030.
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Significant investments have been made, including six captive power plant projects that will collectively generate over 1,000 MW, most of which are set to start within the next month.
“We will break ground for three of these projects next month. Together, they will contribute 2,690 MW to our supply, while our current dependable capacity typically ranges around 1,500 MW, sometimes dropping to as low as 1,000 MW.”
By December 2025, Gata expects to have commissioned at least six of these projects, adding nearly 2,690 MW in new capacity—almost doubling the current dependable supply.
To mitigate currency risk, ZESA is also focusing on domestic manufacturing of all equipment used in the electricity sector. Gata explained:
“We have initiated a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to produce cables and conductors. We need to replace about 24,000 kilometers of aging underground cable conductors in the country.”
To achieve this, ZESA has partnered with a UAE company that provides both capital and technology for the local manufacturing of conductors and cables.
Gata acknowledged that resolving the power challenges in Zimbabwe is not a quick solution but requires a combination of strategies to benefit future generations.
