ZESA has taken Hwange Power Station’s Units 7 and 8 off the national grid for planned maintenance, a move that will keep the 600-megawatt capacity offline until early next year.
The utility said that the shutdown is essential for “the utility’s routine asset management strategy aimed at sustaining plant performance, improving operational reliability and ensuring the continued availability of generating units for the national grid.”
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Hwange Power Station’s Units 7 and 8 are the newest generating machines in Zimbabwe. Together, they account for 600 megawatts of electricity. Since 2023, these units have carried a large share of the national load throughout the day and night.
The decision to remove these units from the grid occurs as the country continues to struggle with consistent electricity supplies, a situation that frequently impacts businesses, industries, and households.
ZIMBABWE: HWANGE UNITS 7 & 8 SHUT DOWN FOR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE. ZESA will shut down Hwange Units 7 and 8 for scheduled maintenance starting 15 November 2026. ✳️Unit 7: Returns 4 January 2027. ✳️Unit 8: Returns 26 January 2027. ZESA plans to offset reduced generation through… pic.twitter.com/tBigbgaVdN
To mitigate the temporary loss of capacity, ZESA has indicated that it intends to increase electricity generation at the Kariba Power Station during periods of peak demand. The maintenance programme will test the utility’s ability to balance domestic electricity demand with available local generation and imported power.
The power station remains a critical component of the national electricity infrastructure. However, the reliability of the facility is complicated by the state of its older infrastructure. Hwange’s six older units, which were commissioned between 1983 and 1987, have a combined capacity of 920 megawatts. These older units break down so frequently that the Zimbabwe Power Company—a subsidiary of ZESA—estimates their average output is about 400 megawatts.
Looking ahead, the upcoming weeks will serve as a test for the utility’s ability to manage electricity supply constraints. While ZESA has attempted to reassure the public by putting contingency measures in place, the reliance on other power sources remains a point of concern.
As the maintenance period progresses, the immediate impact on the national grid will depend on the performance of the remaining generating facilities and the availability of replacement electricity supplies.
ZESA Schedules Hwange Units 7 and 8 Maintenance from 15 November 2026 https://t.co/nvhQe5u9HK
In late January, the public is expected to be informed that the units have returned to service and the lights are back on. This cycle of maintenance and restoration remains a recurring feature for the nation’s energy sector.