Grid Africa has teamed up with local miners to develop a 72 MW solar power plant aimed at addressing the severe power shortages affecting the mining sector. The partnership comes as ZESA Holdings struggles to meet energy demands, with recent load shedding extending to ten hours daily, forcing miners to rely on expensive generators and alternative power sources.
Grid Africa CEO Norman Moyo said the project will save participating mines over $9.2 million annually by reducing dependence on energy imports. While specific miners involved were not disclosed, Grid Africa has a history of renewable projects in the region, including collaborations with Varun Beverages and Tanganda.
Zimbabwe’s mining sector, the largest consumer of electricity, faces high power costs as ZESA’s generation capacity fluctuates between 1,400 MW and 2,000 MW due to infrastructure issues. To address growing demand, the government has mandated that large-scale and ferrochrome miners establish their own power generation facilities by 2026.
Several miners, including Zimplats and Mimosa, are investing in solar projects, while ferrochrome miners are starting a 300 MW thermal power plant in Hwange, with the first 100 MW expected by mid-2025.
Power shortages are costing Zimbabwe an estimated 6.1% of GDP annually, with electricity demand projected to rise from 1,950 MW in 2022 to 5,177 MW by 2030, driven by the mining and agriculture sectors.
