Zimbabwe government orders all major industrial projects to generate own power

• 2 months ago (2026-04-28)
• David Flin

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Tafadzwa Muguti, Zimbabwe’s Presidential Affairs and Devolution Permanent Secretary, has said that all major industrial projects in the country will now be required to incorporate power generation facilities in an attempt to ease persistent energy shortages and accelerate provincial development.

He said that the policy directive means that every significant industrial investment must generate its own electricity rather than depend solely on the national grid.

Zimbabwe’s peak electricity demand is about 2200 MW, but supply often drops below 1500 MW due to ageing infrastructure and limited generation capacity.

Under the new policy framework, sectors such as mining, manufacturing, agro-processing, and heavy industry will be required to establish captive power plants, be they thermal or solar. Muguti said that the policy is expected to reduce pressure on the national grid.