Expedite regional power interconnections to stabilise energy supply: Minister Moyo

LIVINGSTONE MARUFU

Southern African countries must expedite the strengthening of cross-border electricity interconnections to unlock energy trade, stabilise supply, and support fast-growing economies across the region, Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo has said.

Speaking at the Egypt Energy Show (EGYPES 2026) in Cairo, Moyo said Africa’s power future hinges not on generation alone, but on the speed and scale of transmission infrastructure development.

At the heart of his argument is a structural weakness within the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), a system designed in 1995 to integrate electricity markets across the Southern African Development Community (SADC), but which continues to fall short due to transmission bottlenecks.

“While we have built a common grid and market, transmission constraints have limited our ability to move power efficiently from surplus regions to deficit markets,” Moyo said.

He pointed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a case in point, a rapidly expanding mining economy with soaring electricity demand.

“DRC relies significantly on electricity imports from Southern Africa. To support its growth, we must strengthen interconnections between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and between Zambia and the DRC,” he said.

However, even where surplus exists, the infrastructure to transmit power remains inadequate.

“South Africa can generate surplus electricity, but that power cannot fully flow through Zimbabwe due to transmission limitations. This underscores the urgent need for investment in interconnector infrastructure,” Moyo added.

He highlighted the Zambia–Tanzania interconnector, linking into Dar es Salaam, as a critical example of missed opportunity, noting that countries with excess capacity remained isolated while others in the region endured shortages.

Moyo said the long-envisioned Cape-to-Cairo corridor would likely materialise first through electricity networks rather than physical transport systems.

Moyo positioned Zimbabwe as a central transmission and trading hub within the regional electricity architecture, leveraging its geographic location and institutional role within SAPP.

“The power pool is managed from Zimbabwe. Interconnectors linking South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Mozambique are coordinated from here,” he said.

“We do not see ourselves as landlocked, but as a critical transmission hub. This places responsibility on us to strengthen our internal grid to facilitate efficient regional trade.”

Zimbabwe’s installed generation capacity stands at approximately 2,800 megawatts, anchored by key assets such as Kariba South Hydro Power Station and Hwange Thermal Power Station, including the recently expanded Units 7 and 8. However, the country continues to face persistent supply pressures.

Moyo said the sector is constrained by peak demand deficits, hydrological variability affecting Kariba output, ageing thermal infrastructure, and transmission bottlenecks, all compounded by rising demand driven by mining expansion, industrial recovery and urbanisation.

Despite these challenges, Zimbabwe is already benefiting from its participation in SAPP, widely regarded as one of Africa’s most advanced regional electricity markets.

“SAPP enables member states to import power during shortages, export during surpluses, improve system stability and optimise costs through least-cost dispatch across borders,” he said.

Moyo called for accelerated investment and policy alignment across the continent, warning that progress would remain slow without bankable projects and coordinated reforms.

“There is an urgent need to develop high-capacity transmission corridors, harmonise regulatory frameworks, and create investment-ready cross-border projects,” he said.

He urged platforms such as EGYPES to shift from dialogue to delivery.

“Conferences must move beyond discussion to implementation pipelines. We must fast-track regional interconnector projects, develop project preparation facilities, and strengthen African power market institutions.”

The stakes, he stressed, extend far beyond the energy sector.

“Electricity is not just infrastructure, it is the foundation of economic transformation. Africa’s future depends on an interconnected, integrated and investment-driven power system, where electricity flows across borders as seamlessly as information.”