Zimbabwe: President Mnangagwa Commissions 10MW Solar Plant in Kwekwe

A 10MW solar power plant has been commissioned in Kwekwe, marking the first phase of a larger project expected to reach more than 100MW once fully developed.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa inaugurated the New Glovers Solar power plant on Friday, describing it as part of Zimbabwe’s wider effort to expand electricity supply and attract private investment into the energy sector.

The project sits on 2,400 hectares of land and is equipped with 18,600 solar panels, 31 inverters fitted with remotely monitored smart transmitters, and 6km of transmission lines. Power from the plant is being fed into the national grid through the decommissioned Munyati Power Station.

Funding for the project came largely from the Public Service Commission’s pension fund, which holds a 51 percent stake in the venture.

Phase One has a capacity of 10MW and is expected to produce about 20 gigawatt-hours of electricity a year. The full project is planned to scale up to more than 100MW, with expansion work officially launched when Mnangagwa laid the foundation stone during the commissioning ceremony.

The Zimbabwe Power Company reported that independent power producers contributed 66MW out of the 1,449MW available on the grid on Friday, while the energy ministry says national demand stands at at least 1,800MW.

Mnangagwa said the solar plant is one of the first projects completed under the government’s Project Support Agreement framework, which is intended to draw private capital into infrastructure by offering investor protections, cost-reflective tariffs and guaranteed offtake of electricity.

He said the model is designed to give investors confidence while helping Zimbabwe diversify its energy mix and strengthen resilience against climate-related disruptions.

Zimbabwe’s solar resources, he noted, make renewable energy a practical response to the country’s power challenges. He described the sun as the country’s “silent partner” in the push for energy security.

The president also warned against corruption and vandalism, saying anyone who steals cables, damages infrastructure or demands bribes from investors is undermining development. He said theft of a solar panel today could mean the loss of a job tomorrow.