The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) was established in 1996 as an investment vehicle for electricity generation and began operations in 1999. Following a restructuring process, the Electricity Act of 2002 officially unbundled ZESA, designating ZPC as the entity responsible for power generation in the country. ZPC is authorized to construct, own, operate, and maintain power generation stations to supply electricity, with the primary mandate of generating power for the domestic market.

Zimbabwe’s electricity generation is largely reliant on hydro and coal-based power. ZPC operates one hydropower plant, the Kariba South Power Station, and five coal-powered stations: the Hwange Power Station and its expansion project, which are the largest coal power plants, along with smaller thermal stations such as Bulawayo, Harare, and Munyati power stations.

However, the small thermal stations are nearing the end of their operational life, becoming obsolete, and increasingly uneconomical and unsafe for continued power generation. In response, the Government of Zimbabwe has decided to decommission these stations and explore options to repurpose them. The decommissioning process includes the closure of the power plants, disconnection from the grid, and demolition. The repurposing phase will focus on innovative approaches to reusing assets, implementing new technical solutions, and enhancing the quality of energy supply.

As a result, the small thermal power stations have been shut down and are currently under care and maintenance while repurposing studies are being conducted. Despite this, each of these power stations still holds a generation license from the Zimbabwe Electricity Regulatory Authority (ZERA).