Zimbabwe to End Load Shedding by December 2026

The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority has announced plans to end electricity load shedding by the end of 2026 as part of broader reforms aimed at transforming the country’s power sector into a commercially viable and self-sustaining industry.

Speaking before the Public Accounts Committee during a fact-finding visit to Hwange, ZESA Group Chief Executive Officer, Cletus Nyachowe, said the utility had intensified efforts to stabilise electricity supply through improved power trading, operational restructuring and strategic financing arrangements.

According to Nyachowe, Zimbabwe has already recorded 138 consecutive days without load shedding, a development he attributed to improved generation management and more aggressive participation in the regional electricity market.

“We are looking at ending load shedding by the end of this year. We have taken measures and are intensely focused on effective utilisation of available resources and active participation in the market,” he said.

He explained that ZESA had moved away from passive electricity trading and now operates a dedicated 24-hour team that monitors electricity demand forecasts and power availability on the Southern African Power Pool market.

The utility, he noted, now participates actively in electricity auctions within the regional market to secure supply and prevent disruptions.

Zimbabwe’s recent power stability has been supported partly by financing secured through a $210 million facility from African Export-Import Bank, commonly known as Afreximbank.

Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the Mutapa Investment Fund, Enerst Dendere, said part of the funding had been allocated to support electricity trading on the Southern African Power Pool.

Dendere said reforms underway at the Zimbabwe Power Company were intended to reposition the utility from a state-subsidised entity into a commercially sustainable operation capable of servicing its obligations independently.

“The era of viewing ZPC as a State-subsidised entity must end. We are transforming it into a high-performance, commercially viable asset,” he said.

Beyond stabilising electricity supply, ZESA said it is pursuing broader electrification targets across the country. Nyachowe disclosed that nearly 500,000 urban homes currently remain without electricity access, with the utility aiming to connect about one million households over the coming years.

He said Zimbabwe was targeting full national electrification by 2030, while also planning to end electricity imports by 2027.

Zimbabwe currently imports part of its electricity supply from neighbouring Mozambique to supplement domestic generation.