KEY POINTS
- Mutirikwi plant adds five megawatts to Masvingo’s electricity supply.
- Reliable power boosts irrigation and critical community services.
- The government plans more hydro projects to meet Vision 2030 goals.
The Mutirikwi Mini Hydro Power Plant, located in Masvingo Province, is now fully operational, generating five megawatts of electricity daily.
This milestone project, completed late last year, is part of the Second Republic’s focus on achieving energy self-sufficiency and meeting Vision 2030 objectives.
Harnessing the abundant water resources of Lake Mutirikwi, the plant is feeding electricity directly into the national grid.
Masvingo’s Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, praised the project for addressing the region’s energy challenges.
He explained that under Zimbabwe’s devolution policy, locally generated electricity prioritizes the local community.
“With this additional five megawatts, load shedding in Masvingo town is now a thing of the past,” he said. Critical services like hospitals, water pump stations, and security departments now enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply.
Reliable energy powers communities and irrigation projects
The Mutirikwi Mini Hydro Power Plant began feeding power into the grid on November 9, 2024. According to site manager Austin Boora, the plant operates at full capacity 24 hours a day, producing over 120 megawatt-hours of energy daily. This output is enough to power approximately 3,000 households.
Engineer Justice Jangano, the plant’s manager, noted that the consistent energy supply supports not just households but also critical irrigation pumping systems. This development has been particularly beneficial for the local farming community, which struggled with frequent power cuts.
A resident shared their excitement, saying, “We’ve been lagging in irrigation and other farming projects due to unreliable electricity. This plant is a game-changer for us.”
The government plans additional power projects in Masvingo
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has emphasized the importance of energy self-sufficiency as a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 goals.
According to ZBC News, the government is working to maximize the use of the country’s water resources for power generation and other economic purposes.
In addition to the Mutirikwi project, plans are underway to construct another mini hydro power station at Tugwi Mukosi Dam, also in Masvingo Province. These initiatives aim to close energy gaps across the country and provide stable power for both domestic and economic activities.
The Mutirikwi plant represents not only a step toward energy self-sufficiency but also an investment in the community’s future. A reliable energy supply is expected to boost local development, support farming ventures, and contribute to the nation’s progress toward becoming an upper-middle-income society by 2030.
