Source: Zim clears regulatory path for new power investors – herald
Zvamaida Murwira
Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE has cleared a regulatory path for new power investors by formally recognising a wider range of energy sources as the country races to more than double electricity generation capacity to 6 000MW by 2030.
Statutory Instrument 129 of 2026, published in the Government Gazette last week designates solar energy, wind, geothermal, biomass, biogas, water, nuclear, coal bed methane, coal, petroleum products and ethanol as energy sources.
“It is hereby notified that the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority, with the approval of the Minister of Energy and Power Development, in terms of section 7 of the Energy Regulatory Act (Chapter 13:23), has made the following notice: This may be cited as the Energy Regulatory (Designation of Energy Source) Notice, 2026. Solar energy, wind, geothermal, biomass, biogas, water, nuclear, coal bed methane, coal, petroleum products, ethanol and waste to energy are hereby declared as designated energy sources,” read the regulations.
The timing is significant.
Under NDS2, which runs from January 2026 to December 2030, the Government wants national electricity generation capacity to rise from 2 950MW to 6 000MW, with the expansion expected to be driven by both Government and private-sector projects.
The strategy also places universal access to reliable, affordable, sustainable and clean energy at the centre of its infrastructure agenda, with Government seeking universal access by 2030 and positioning renewable energy as a primary source, particularly solar, wind and hydroelectric power.
In an interview with The Herald, Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) chief executive Mr Edington Mazambani said the new regulations would strengthen energy governance while providing certainty for investment.
“Statutory Instrument 129 of 2026 is significant because it provides legal clarity on the energy sources recognised under Zimbabwe’s regulatory framework,” he said.
“This creates certainty for investors, developers and consumers while supporting Government’s efforts to diversify the national energy mix, strengthen energy governance and enhance long-term energy security.”
The policy shift comes as Zimbabwe’s electricity generation has already begun recovering.
Latest ZimStat data show electricity generation increased 20,9 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, with the generation index rising to 117.2 from 97 in the corresponding quarter of 2025.
But the recovery masks a highly concentrated power system.
Hwange Power Station accounted for 56,3 percent of national generation in the first quarter, producing 1,647.4GWh, while Kariba contributed 31,7 percent, or 926.9GWh. Independent Power Producers supplied the remaining 12 percent.
Zimbabwe also imported 371.4GWh of electricity during the quarter, while exports reached 445.6GWh, illustrating the increasingly complex relationship between domestic generation, regional power markets and the national grid.
The National Development Strategy (NDS2) seeks to change that structure by putting private investment at the heart of the expansion.
The strategy says private-sector participation through Independent Power Producers and public-private partnerships will be facilitated, with incentives including Government Project Support Agreements, duty exemptions on renewable-energy equipment and deferment of VAT obligations.
The strategy has identified projects expected to deliver a cumulative 2 471MW of new capacity by 2030, predominantly through private-sector-led initiatives.
The pipeline ranges from thermal generation to a rapidly expanding solar programme and includes 100MW of wind capacity and a 22MW waste-to-energy project at Geo Pomona.
Other major projects include the 1 200MW Zimbabwe share of the Batoka Hydroelectric Power Project, rehabilitation of Hwange Units 1 to 6 to add 700MW, a battery energy storage project capable of providing 600MW of dependable capacity, a phased 500MW gas-to-power project and a 90MW Mutorashanga solar project.
Mr Mazambani said the regulations would remove uncertainty around technologies that previously fell into less clearly defined regulatory categories.
“The regulation addresses a key gap by clearly designating energy sources for regulatory oversight, licensing and national energy planning, removing uncertainty around the classification and treatment of emerging and alternative energy technologies. This creates a more predictable environment for investment, supports a diversified and sustainable energy sector, and contributes to improved energy access and long-term security of supply,” said Mr Mazambani.
But generating more electricity will not, by itself, solve the country’s power problem.
NDS2 recognises the importance of moving electricity to where it is needed. The Government plans to expand the national transmission grid by 1 715km, while upgrading infrastructure to reduce technical losses and improve reliability.
The strategy also targets electricity access rising from 62 percent of the population in 2022 to 100 percent by 2030, while the rate of energy supply is targeted to increase from 66,7 percent to 100 percent.
That emphasis is particularly important for rural Zimbabwe, where NDS2 plans to use the six-percent rural electrification levy and annual Budget allocations to extend grid access to previously underserved communities.
Zera has also gazetted Statutory Instrument 120 of 2026 to regulate electric vehicles in relation to their charging stations.
Mr Mazambani said the growth of electric vehicles made regulation necessary.
“Statutory Instrument 120 of 2026 is significant because it establishes a regulatory framework for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Zimbabwe,” said Mr Mazambani.
“ As the adoption of electric vehicles grows, the regulations provide clear requirements for the licensing, installation, operation and safety of EV charging stations, ensuring that charging infrastructure develops in a safe, reliable and orderly manner.”
He said the regulations addressed a major gap in the emerging electric-mobility market.
“The regulations address a key gap by introducing standards and regulatory oversight for EV charging stations, an area that previously lacked a dedicated legal framework,” he said.
“This provides certainty for investors and service providers, promotes consumer safety and confidence, supports investment in EV infrastructure, and positions Zimbabwe to embrace cleaner transport technologies in line with the country’s energy transition and sustainable development objectives.”
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