By Advent Shoko | ZiGoats
Zimbabwe is contributing a reported 200 megawatts (MW) of surplus electricity to the regional power grid, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira has said, pointing to what he described as progress in the country’s energy sector.
Murwira made the remarks during an interview with ZBC’s Ian Vambe on Face the Nation, where he discussed Zimbabwe’s development progress and the benefits of regional integration through the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
“We used to have a deficit but now we are contributing a surplus of 200MW to the regional grid. Isn’t that success?” Murwira said.
The claim marks a significant contrast with Zimbabwe’s recent history of electricity shortages, when households and businesses endured prolonged power cuts that sometimes lasted up to 18 hours a day.
Hwange Expansion Boosts Generation
Zimbabwe’s improved electricity supply has been supported by investment in power generation, particularly the expansion of Hwange Thermal Power Station with Chinese financing and construction expertise.
The commissioning of Hwange Units 7 and 8 in 2023 added a combined 600MW to the national grid, helping reduce reliance on imported electricity. The new units have since provided a more stable supply, although ageing equipment at the older units remains a challenge.
The government has also pursued plans to rehabilitate Hwange Units 1 to 6, which have suffered repeated breakdowns and operated below their combined installed capacity.
The improvements have helped ease electricity shortages, but sustained reliability will depend on maintaining generating units, meeting domestic demand and ensuring adequate power transmission infrastructure.
COMESA Pushes Value Addition
Murwira’s comments come after Zimbabwe hosted the 25th COMESA Summit in Harare on October 22, where President Emmerson Mnangagwa assumed the chairmanship of the regional trading bloc.
The summit called on member states to accelerate industrialisation, strengthen regional trade and move beyond exporting raw materials towards producing higher-value goods.
Zimbabwe has taken steps towards that goal through restrictions on exports of unprocessed minerals and lithium concentrates, while encouraging investment in local processing.
The country is pushing for lithium to be processed into lithium sulphate, a higher-value product used in battery supply chains. From January 2027, the government intends to restrict lithium concentrate exports as part of its beneficiation policy.
The policy reflects a broader ambition to retain more mineral value within Zimbabwe, create jobs and expand domestic industrial capacity rather than rely primarily on exporting raw materials.
Can Zimbabwe Sustain The Surplus?
Murwira’s claim offers an encouraging picture of Zimbabwe’s power sector, but the key test is whether the country can consistently generate enough electricity for domestic consumers while maintaining exports to neighbouring markets.
Zimbabwe has historically depended on imports to cover supply gaps, making sustained generation growth important for households, businesses and industrial production.
If the reported 200MW surplus is maintained, it could strengthen Zimbabwe’s position in regional electricity trading and support the government’s wider industrialisation ambitions.
For consumers, however, the most immediate measure of success remains reliable electricity at home and at work.
Zigoats.com
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