Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe
Zimpapers Business Hub
THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) issued 20 electricity licences in 2024, with 17 being for power generation projects, which have a combined installed capacity of 786.08 megawatts (MW), while the remaining three were for the retail supply of electricity.
This milestone reflects the authority’s continued drive to diversify and upscale power generation in the country, especially amid challenges faced by the national power utility, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), which include aged infrastructure and systemic technical and non-technical losses.
In its 2024 annual report, ZERA noted that the new licences mark a growing trend of companies investing in solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for either their own consumption or for supplying captive customers as part of risk mitigation and energy security strategies.
“A majority of applications considered by ZERA were for solar systems installed by companies for own consumption, with a significant number coming from captive power producers,” ZERA board chairperson Dr David Madzikanda said in the report.
The regulator stressed the importance of attracting more Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to bolster the national supply system.
IPPs play a crucial role in generating electricity, primarily for their own consumption.
“As a regulating entity, the goal is to bring on board as many IPPs in the sector and ensure these take off and feed into the grid or supply viable off-takers,” said ZERA.
“The authority issued 20 electricity licenses in 2024, 17 being for the generation of electricity, with a total installed capacity of 786,08MW and three licenses for retail supply of electricity.
“ZERA continues to facilitate the growth of this new category of power producers, in order to bring stability to the electricity sub-sector,” Dr Madzikanda added.
According to the report, of the 17 generation licences, four projects will supply electricity to captive customers, six will generate for their own consumption and seven are expected to feed power into the national grid.
Additionally, 16 of the approved projects are solar PV plants, while one is a coal-fired thermal power station.
ZERA said the 17 generation projects have different offtake arrangements.
