Zesa hits 65-day milestone, sets sights on eliminating power cuts

POWER utility Zesa Holdings has set an ambitious target of ending load shedding by year-end, after clocking 65 consecutive days without implementing power cuts, the company has announced.

The milestone signals a major turnaround for the power utility, which has been working to stabilise the national grid through infrastructure upgrades and improved regional power trading.
Speaking at the Sadc Sustainable Energy Week in Victoria Falls last week, Zesa Holdings stakeholder relations executive Ms Alaina Suliwa briefed Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga on the utility’s plans to eliminate load shedding while pushing towards universal energy access by 2030.

“Our presence here at the Sadc Sustainable Energy Week is a testament to our commitment to Vision 2030. As Zesa, our primary mission is clear, achieving universal access to energy by the end of 2030,” she said.

Ms Suliwa outlined Zesa’s comprehensive strategy for addressing national energy challenges, focusing on three core areas: generation, transmission and distribution.
“On generation, we are diversifying our energy mix to include sustainable and renewable energy projects to ensure long-term security.

“On renewable energy projects, as you are aware, we have launched net metering and then other partnerships with independent power producers and captive power projects that are into renewable energy that are going to ensure long-term security.

“There are some wind projects under feasibility study and the Batoka Hydro Power project,” she said.
She highlighted Zimbabwe’s strategic position within the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) as a key advantage in boosting supply reliability.

“Transmission and distribution, as you are aware, Zimbabwe is strategically positioned within the Southern African Power Pool. We are working on modernising our energy highways to facilitate regional interconnectedness.

“As you are aware, we are strategically positioned within the Southern African Power Pool, we can trade with various countries within the Southern African Power Pool and we are able to import and also export power.

“So, we are working on transmission projects that will enhance or improve our grid infrastructure so that we are able to transmit as much power as possible,” she said.

The expansion of transmission infrastructure is expected to enhance power trading with regional neighbours such as South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia.

Beyond ending load shedding, Zesa is rolling out programmes to expand electricity access, particularly in rural and previously underserved communities.

“On the distribution network, we are working on the last mile projects where we are connecting the households or the end users to the network. Our target is to hit 320 000 households connected to the electrical grid annually, ensuring that no community is left behind,” she said.

The utility is also embracing renewable technologies to boost generation capacity while reducing Zimbabwe’s carbon footprint.

Ms Suliwa said Zesa’s participation in regional energy platforms demonstrated its commitment to integration and long-term energy security.

“We are on track, we are energised, and we are delivering on the promise of the Vision 2030 of not leaving no one behind, of universal access to energy by the end of this decade,” she said.
Meanwhile, speaking at the same conference, Vice President Kembo Mohadi reaffirmed Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for private-sector investment in the energy sector, noting that legislative reforms were already underway.

He said Government was also working to mobilise domestic capital for energy projects.

The reforms are expected to unlock significant investment in renewable energy, transmission expansion and distribution networks, reinforcing Zesa’s efforts to achieve universal energy access by 2030.