Zimbabwe is grappling with chronic electricity shortages, with national supply falling far short of demand, explained Victor Sibanda, Research and Energy Efficiency Engineer from the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA).
The country’s persistent load-shedding problem, coupled with paradoxical electricity exports, has raised concerns, particularly as more residential and industrial consumers are affected by intermittent power supply.
According to Sibanda, the complexities of load shedding and contractual exports stem from operational constraints, supply-demand dynamics, and contractual agreements with neighbouring countries.
During a media engagement with ZERA in Bulawayo on Wednesday, Sibanda said Zimbabwe’s electricity access has reached 62 percent, though there is a notable urban-rural disparity, noting that 80 percent of urban residents have grid access, compared to only 23 percent in rural areas.
The bulk of Zimbabwe’s electricity comes from thermal power plants, providing 41.8 percent of the national energy, followed by hydropower at 34.6 percent.
Independent power producers contribute a small portion of the grid’s capacity (3 percent), with imports making up 19.8 percent.
However, the power supply remains inadequate, as national demand frequently surpasses supply.
In 2023, the average supply was approximately 1,640 megawatts, which was less than the average demand of 1,865 megawatts.
The situation worsened on November 5, 2024, when Zimbabwe generated only 1,092 megawatts against a demand of 1,760 megawatts, resulting in a deficit of 668 megawatts. Imports covered some of the shortfall, supplying 235 megawatts, while exports amounted to 176 megawatts.
Load Shedding 6 November
| Morning Peak | Midday peak | Evening Peak | |
| Time | 6am | 1pm | 7pm |
| Total Available | 1101 | 1197 | 1092 |
| Zim Forecast Demand | 1680 | 1600 | 1760 |
| Surplus /Shortfall | -579 | -403 | -668 |
| Total energy Required | 1996 | 1906 | 2026 |
Load shedding, a source of frustration for many Zimbabweans, is driven by the need to balance limited supply with critical service demand, Sibanda said.
The uneven distribution of power is influenced by priority requirements, such as hospitals, security installations, and water facilities, which are protected from outages whenever possible.
“We cannot have a hospital on load shedding, a water-based location, or institutions of security on load shedding, it’s a simple fact,” he explained.
“Sometimes, the substation where electricity is coming from, the line passes from a residential area to a hospital, people there will benefit because of that, not because we are not supposed to not shed them. By nature of being close to the hospital, properties will also have the benefits and disadvantages of being close to the hospital.”
Sibanda emphasised that load shedding was “not an issue of punishment” but an effort to “maintain an equilibrium of what we have and what the system will deliver.”
Comparing Zimbabwe’s power crisis to a family trying to fit 10 people into a five-seat car, Sibanda explained that the shortage means difficult choices must be made on which areas receive power at any given time.
“Mostly the ones who are affected are residential and other non-essential industries who are the ones who are affected. I don’t think there is favouritism when it comes to load shedding,” he said, adding load shedding schedules are beyond the control of local ZESA offices and are managed at a centralised level.
“Don’t blame your local ZESA people. Sometimes they don’t even know when it happens. It’s controlled from somewhere. They are actually asked to go and switch off where they are staying in some instances. It’s basically like that but it’s not a punishment.”
Despite national shortages, Zimbabwe exports electricity to neighbouring countries, a practice that seems counterintuitive but has contractual and economic justifications.
Sibanda pointed to agreements like the one with Namibia’s NamPower, which financed infrastructure in exchange for an energy supply from Zimbabwe when available.
“We send about zero to eight megawatts to Namibia, depending on availability because it’s a contractual agreement, it was financed by the Namibian government,” he said.
“And how we repay it is if we do it, we supply the electricity. But when it’s out, we don’t supply the electricity.”
Additionally, exporting surplus electricity is sometimes economically favourable, particularly when the national grid generates excess power during off-peak hours.
For example, Zambia’s copper mining industry operates continuously and purchases power from Zimbabwe during these off-peak hours, when electricity is cheaper.
According to Sibanda, this setup allows Zimbabwe to generate revenue from surplus energy that cannot be stored.
“Zambia operates its copper mines which require electricity 24/7. They might also choose to get electricity off-peak. That’s when electricity is cheap, probably Zambia’s electricity would be expensive. They might choose to get electricity from Zimbabwe, which is cheap, because Zimbabwe also has a lot of electricity, which they are not using. So they might also opt to buy from us,” said the ZERA official.
“Those are some of the scenarios of us exporting, while we still are in a deficit.”
Another major challenge is energy wastage, which Sibanda estimates to be around 300 megawatts, or 20 percent of Zimbabwe’s national supply.
This wastage stems from inefficient equipment and careless use, underscoring the need for improved efficiency standards across the country.
“Careless use and outdated, inefficient equipment waste a significant amount of power,” he noted, calling for conservation practices to maximise the limited electricity available.
In terms of solutions, Sibanda highlighted the role of renewable energy in reducing the burden on the national grid.
He expressed optimism that increased rainfall and water inflows could boost hydropower generation at Kariba Dam, mitigating the current shortage.
