The government is set to officially commission the Great Zimbabwe Hydro Power Plant in the coming months, marking a significant stride in Zimbabwe’s drive to expand renewable energy generation and accelerate industrial growth in Masvingo.
The five-megawatt (MW) power facility, which began generating electricity in November last year, has already brought remarkable transformation to the province’s energy landscape.
Since its commissioning phase, Masvingo urban has experienced little to no load-shedding, a development that has boosted business operations, household reliability, and investor confidence in the region.
In an interview, Justice Jangano the plant manager, confirmed that operations have been running smoothly under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).
“We started generating commercially in November last year and have been feeding power into the national grid ever since,” Jangano said.
“Our operations run seamlessly using water released by Zinwa for downstream irrigation, which we then harness to generate power before releasing it for further use.”
He highlighted the tangible impact the project has made within a short period.
“The project has been very impactful across the province, particularly in Masvingo urban, where it has reduced load-shedding to almost zero,” Jangano said.
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“It has also minimised transmission losses since the electricity is consumed close to where it is produced.”
According to the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, the success of the Great Zimbabwe Hydro Power Plant has set the stage for more renewable energy developments in the province.
Among the upcoming initiatives are a 15MW hydro project at Tugwi-Mukosi Dam and another 5MW facility at Bangala along the Mutirikwi River.
When fully operational, these projects will see Masvingo Province generating around 25MW of electricity, surpassing its local demand and contributing surplus power to the national grid.
The commissioning of the Great Zimbabwe Hydro Power Plant stands as a testament to the government’s vision of modernising infrastructure, promoting sustainable growth, and ensuring reliable power supply across Zimbabwe.
