KEY POINTS
- Zimbabwe to end unsolicited bids in power projects.
- Competitive power procurement to improve transparency and lower costs.
- Reforms set to attract both local and foreign investors.
Zimbabwe’s energy regulator plans to phase out unsolicited bids for electricity projects in favor of competitive tenders, a shift aimed at boosting transparency, reducing inflated costs and drawing in credible investors.
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) said the new approach, expected to take effect next year, will align the country’s power sector with global standards while giving operators time to adjust.
Zimbabwe moves to competitive power procurement
ZERA Chief Executive Officer Edington Mazambani said the regulator had been inundated with unsolicited bids, many of them speculative, creating inefficiencies in the sector.
New rules to open retail electricity market
The government has also initiated reforms to allow private operators to retail electricity directly to communities, a move regulators say will expand access and drive efficiency.
Reforms aim to attract foreign investors
To reassure investors, the Finance and Energy ministries have launched a Project Support Agreement to de-risk Independent Power Producer investments and safeguard foreign capital repatriation.
