Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
zimbabwe will use the forthcoming Sadc Sustainable Energy Week 2026, set for February 23 to 27 in Victoria Falls, to accelerate regional cooperation on power generation, renewable energy investment and transmission infrastructure, Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo has said.
Addressing journalists in Harare on Tuesday, Minister Moyo said energy ministers in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) had agreed to establish sustainable energy platforms to harmonise policies, exchange technologies and strengthen regional power systems.
“We are looking at policies applicable across the SADC region, the energy mix, the Southern African Power Pool and how we expand renewable energy without forgetting our baseload from coal and large hydro schemes,” he said.
Minister Moyo said the region was experiencing power shortages driven by limited generation capacity and inefficiencies in transmission and distribution.
He said the conference would focus on both expanding generation and improving energy efficiency.
“We have shortages of generation but we also have inefficiencies — transmission losses, retailing and distribution challenges. These are critical issues for Zimbabwe and the SADC region,” Minister Moyo said.
He said Zimbabwe was prioritising solar, wind and waste-to-energy technologies that could help clean cities while contributing to power supply.
On regional infrastructure, Minister Moyo said Zimbabwe had signed memoranda of understanding with Mozambique and Zambia on gas and petroleum product pipelines, while work was advancing on new transmission lines under the SADC-wide interconnector programme.
“We have agreed with Zambia to put closure on the Zimbabwe-Zambia transmission line, part of the SADC transmission corridor linking Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. This will allow us to evacuate excess power from South Africa or Mozambique to Zambia, the DRC and beyond,” he said.
Minister Moyo said SADC was also pushing major hydroelectric projects, including Batoka Gorge, Devil’s Gorge, Mpata Gorge and the Inga Dam in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which could generate over 40 000 megawatts to serve the continent.
At the national level, he said Zimbabwe had crafted an Energy Compact aligned with National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), targeting an increase in non-hydro renewable energy to 27 percent of the energy mix.
“Our compact has five pillars, and renewables are a critical component,” Minister Moyo said.
“During the conference, we will unpack this compact so investors, local and foreign, can clearly see our priorities.”
Minister Moyo said Zimbabwe had liberalised the energy sector to attract investment, including reducing licensing fees, issuing power purchase agreements, granting national project status and guaranteeing the externalisation of dividends and loan repayments.
“Zimbabwe is open for business. The President has directed that we remove barriers so that we attract investment into the energy sector,” he said.
He said electricity penetration stood at 62 percent, with rural areas still lagging behind, although the Government will electrify every primary school, secondary school and clinic this year.
Minister Moyo urged households and companies to invest in solar power and energy efficiency and said net-metered solar contributions had reached 74 megawatts, with more than 100 megawatts in the pipeline.
“When Zimbabweans save energy, it is the same as generating more electricity,” he said.
The SADC Sustainable Energy Week is expected to attract about 40 exhibitors from within the region and beyond, as well as high-profile speakers, including Africa Energy Week executive chairman Njock Ayuk.
