en.Wedoany.com Reported - The acting managing director of the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) stated that the country has coal reserves sufficient to support power generation for more than 200 years, emphasizing that coal remains indispensable in the energy mix despite the global push for renewable energy.
Speaking at the coal, oil, and gas seminar of the Chamber of Mines annual conference, ZPC Acting Managing Director Fannie Mavhondo said ZPC data shows coal resources remain abundant, with further exploration underway. Mavhondo stated that ZPC's view is that coal resources are affordable, and data indicates more than 200 years of extraction remaining, up from the previous estimate of over 150 years. There is consensus in the industry on remaining reserves, and more reserves are being explored. Zimbabwe is estimated to have 26 billion tonnes of coal reserves, with the Hwange area hosting substantial deposits of coking coal and thermal coal. Worldometer previously estimated that at current consumption levels, the country has about 163 years of coal remaining, excluding undiscovered reserves.
Mavhondo does not believe renewable energy can replace coal. He pointed out that solar and wind power cannot provide the baseload stability required for an industrialized economy. Mavhondo said the availability of renewables does not allow for 100% usage, and renewable energy cannot stand alone—there is no solar power at night, and battery storage costs remain extremely high, making this approach unsustainable. He noted that countries attempting to rely heavily on renewables have suffered from unstable grid shocks, which are unsustainable. ZPC's position is that coal and renewables are not mutually exclusive; an energy mix needs to be developed, requiring both coal and the integration of renewables.
Mavhondo acknowledged that the industry must improve efficiency and decarbonize by introducing new technologies. Hwange Units 7 and 8 have been commissioned, each generating 335 megawatts, totaling 670 megawatts, and are equipped with advanced emission control systems. The plant includes flue gas desulfurization units that use limestone to capture sulfur dioxide emissions, producing gypsum as a byproduct sold to cement manufacturers. Low-nitrogen oxide burners have also been installed to minimize nitrogen oxide emissions. Mavhondo stated that ZPC is investing in limestone for emission control while rehabilitating Units 1 to 6 to manage emissions. Hwange Units 1 to 6 were originally commissioned between 1983 and 1989, with a total installed capacity of 920 megawatts, but due to mechanical failures from aging, they have recently generated only 300 to 500 megawatts. The $450 million rehabilitation agreement signed in December 2025 with Jindal Steel and Power adopts a rehabilitate, operate, and transfer model, with actual renovation work expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026. The renovation is expected to add 400 megawatts to the national grid within 48 months.
Mavhondo pointed out that the electricity tariff structure is a fundamental issue. He stated that regulators focus only on end-user tariffs without managing the parameters that constitute the tariff. He called for a comprehensive review of the entire value chain—from coal to electricity to customers—to determine appropriate tariffs at each stage, including coal prices, generation tariffs, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) tariffs, and tariffs for various customer categories. Mavhondo described the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) as being caught in a bind, facing unpaid bills from local authorities and key institutions while being obligated to pay coal producers for supplies. He warned that the substantial debt owed to ZETDC would render it unable to pay ZPC, with unpaid debts from water supply infrastructure, local authorities, hospitals, and key security institutions.
Mavhondo warned that without coordinated planning at the government level, Zimbabwe could face boom-and-bust cycles as multiple coal producers rush to build their own power plants. He noted that a previous speaker predicted 15 coal-fired power plants in the next decade. He stated that if ZPC procures from only two or three miners, the remaining miners may also want to build coal-fired plants or other alternatives, potentially leading to shortages on the other end. At the planning level, government coordination is needed to determine how many coal-fired or dedicated power plant licenses to issue, establishing production levels, electricity output, and where the power will be sold. Meanwhile, Mavhondo said renewables can be developed alongside coal projects, working to decarbonize the grid in terms of total energy supply. ZPC's position reflects the reality of Zimbabwe's energy landscape: coal remains the cornerstone of power generation, with over 50% of baseload power provided by Hwange's coal-fired units. The challenge is not whether to use coal, but how to use it more efficiently and cleanly, ensuring sustainability across the entire value chain from miners to consumers.
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