The NDS1 outlines that providing reliable and low cost energy access is the government’s top priority. An efficient energy supply sector is in line with government’s intention to provide economic growth and stability. What I found particularly interesting about the NDS1 is the statistics of energy access in Zimbabwe: 80% of Zimbabwe’s rural population do not have access to electricity and Zimbabwe’s electricity penetration rate is 41%. This shows the opportunity cost of entering the energy sector because of the abundance of off takers available for electricity, however, the question always remains: how bankable will the project be given that the rural population in Zimbabwe is low income and mainly dependent on subsistence farming.


In the NDS1, the government also resonates with the global trend against sustained reliance on hydropower as an electricity generation mechanism. Climate change has greatly affected how hydropower can be a reliable and consistent source of electricity supply. There are also concerns about the environmental sustainability of hydropower. This shift in focus by government should inform current and potential players in the energy sector of where government’s electricity procurement requirements shall be met.Government intends to increase Zimbabwe’s overall electricity supply from 2317MW installed capacity to 3467MW by 2025. This is over a 1000 MW in less than four years. In addition, the government wishes to construct 280km of electricity transmission lines across the country with the main aim of stopping all electricity imports by 2025.


In order to achieve this ambitious feat, the government intends to do the following:

1. Create an integrated energy resource plan. This enables stakeholders to foretell government’s intentions of what the source of future supplies of electricity shall come from and how many MWs of electricity are to be procured from that particular source.
2. Increased reliance on independent power producers
3. Increased integration and PPA from SAPP member States
4. Diversifying Zimbabwe’s energy mix to include renewable energy sources
5. Improved access to modern energy for both rural and urban areas from 44% to 54% by 2025
6. Developing a renewable energy policy
7. Regular review of pricing by energy suppliers to ensure recovery of costs of producing the electricity.
8. Demand side management: encouraging the conservation of electricity by users
9. Energy efficiency

The NDS1 shows a positive outlook for the energy sector and a shift from how the sector has been operating over the years. It strikes a delicate balance between meeting the needs of Zimbabwe’s economy and citizens for reliable and low cost electricity, inviting new investment particularly in the clean energy sector whilst ensuring sustainability and protection of the environment. For the first time, Zimbabwe will have an integrated master energy resource plan which shall make Zimbabwe’s energy needs predictable and shall ensure that all procurement needs shall be satisfied in line with the plan.