Water levels at Lake Kariba are slowly increasing due to the ongoing rainy season, raising cautious optimism for improved hydropower generation in the coming months. However, despite this gradual rise, current levels remain significantly lower than those recorded at the same time last year, according to the latest data from the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA).
As of Monday, the water level stood at 476.41 meters, a notable drop from 477.84 meters recorded during the same period in 2024. The Kariba Dam operates within a water level range of 475.50 meters to 488.50 meters, but the current usable live storage—critical for power generation—has plummeted to just 4.09 billion cubic meters (BCM). This marks a steep decline from the 10.54 BCM recorded last year, leaving only 6.3% of the storage capacity available for power generation, compared to 16.38% in 2024.
Power Generation and Economic Impact
Kariba Dam, managed by the ZRA—a bi-national authority shared by Zambia and Zimbabwe—hosts hydropower stations on both the northern and southern banks, with a combined capacity of 2,100 MW. Zimbabwe’s allocation stands at 1,050 MW, but persistent low water levels, worsened by climate change and the severe El Niño-induced drought of 2024, have significantly reduced power output.
As a result, Zimbabwe has been forced to implement prolonged power cuts, severely impacting households, businesses, and economic productivity. The situation highlights the country’s heavy reliance on hydropower and the urgent need for energy diversification to mitigate future shortages.
Zimbabwe’s Energy Challenges
The country’s power mix is heavily dependent on coal-fired thermal plants and hydropower. Although Zimbabwe’s total installed electricity generation capacity was around 2,540 MW in 2023, aging infrastructure, frequent equipment failures, and climate-related disruptions have caused actual generation to fall short, leading to load shedding.
Zimbabwe’s peak electricity demand stands at approximately 1,900 MW, with daily outages lasting up to 12–14 hours. The energy crisis is further exacerbated by similar power shortages in neighboring South Africa and Zambia, creating widespread energy insecurity across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Despite commissioning an additional 600 MW at the Hwange Power Station in 2023 and 300 MW at Kariba Power Station in 2018, Zimbabwe’s power supply remains inadequate to meet growing demand, particularly in key economic sectors such as mining and manufacturing.
The Shift Toward Renewable Energy
The ongoing electricity shortages have underscored the need for sustainable energy solutions. In response, Zimbabwe is accelerating efforts to expand its renewable energy sector, with key stakeholders—including the government, private sector, NGOs, and international partners—investing in solar, wind, small-scale hydropower, and biomass projects.
The country’s Renewable Energy Policy, aligned with its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), sets ambitious targets:
- 1,100 MW of installed renewable energy capacity (17% of total supply) by 2025
- 2,100 MW (27% of total supply) by 2030
- Installation of 250,000 solar geysers in residential and commercial buildings by 2030
Additionally, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has licensed multiple Independent Power Producers (IPPs), including 23 solar PV projects by 2023, many of which are designed for self-consumption.
A Path Forward
While rising water levels at Lake Kariba offer a glimmer of hope for hydropower recovery, Zimbabwe’s ongoing energy crisis demands long-term solutions. By diversifying its energy sources and expanding renewable energy investments, the country aims to strengthen its energy security, reduce reliance on hydropower, and build a more resilient power infrastructure for the future.
