Zimbabwe to add 20MW of hydropower on Mutirikwi river

The Government of Zimbabwe plans to develop two additional mini-hydroelectric power stations downstream of Lake Mutirikwi, which will generate a combined 20 megawatts (MW) of electricity, further boosting the country's renewable energy drive.

The expansion follows the successful completion of a 5MW hydropower plant at Mutirikwi Dam by Great Zimbabwe Hydro Power Company, which began feeding electricity into the national grid earlier this year. The US$14.6 million project has strengthened power supply in Masvingo city and positioned the province as a leader in clean energy production.

Permanent Secretary for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Dr Addmore Pazvakavambwa, said feasibility studies have confirmed the potential for 20MW of additional generation along the Mutirikwi River. The next plant, Mutirikwi 2, will produce 5MW, while a further downstream project at Bangala Dam is expected to contribute 10MW.

"If we add the 15MW being developed at the Tugwi-Mukosi hydropower project, Masvingo will become the home of clean energy in Zimbabwe," Dr Pazvakavambwa said.

Masvingo's high dam density offers vast opportunities for renewable energy, helping reduce electricity imports and support rural industrialisation. The province is already a major contributor, with Hippo Valley and Triangle sugar mills producing over 30MW of renewable energy from sugarcane by-products, with surplus power fed into the national grid.