By Beverly Bizeki
The establishment of a 15 megawatt hydroelectric power plant at Tugwi Mukosi Dam is set to begin, marking a major step toward unlocking investment opportunities at the country’s largest inland dam in Zimbabwe nearly nine years after the dam’s completion.
The power project, expected to cost about US$30 million, will be implemented by Tugwi Mukosi Hydro Power Station, a company incorporated in 2022 and licensed by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority to develop the facility.
Speaking during a Tugwi Mukosi inception meeting recently held at Urban Lifestyles Hotel, Ministry of Energy official Sostain Zivuku said the engineering contractor Sinohydro Corporation went on site in 2025 and has already begun constructing accommodation for staff.
Zivuku said the project had already secured funding, with US$18 million mobilised from the Public Service Pension Fund.
“In 2022, a company called Tugwi Mukosi Hydro Power Station was incorporated and licensed by ZERA to start a 15MW power station. The power plant will be constructed at the cost of about US$30 million and US$18 million has been mobilized from the public service pension fund,” said Zivuku.
Zivuku said although preparatory works have started, civil works were temporarily halted earlier this year after the Zimbabwe National Water Authority requested further geological assessments to ensure that blasting required for the construction of the plant would not compromise the structural integrity of the dam wall and other infrastructure.
“They are currently at the dam site and the main works that they are doing is drilling to get samples to ensure the ground is good enough to hold a 15MW power plant and also to check the rock formation because a decision has to be made on whether the power plant will be built on the ground or underground,” he said.
He added that procurement of key equipment such as turbines and transformers had also experienced slight delays due to processes requiring engagement with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
Once construction begins fully, the project is expected to take about 18 months to complete.
Electricity generated from the plant will be transmitted through a 38 kilometre transmission line linking Tugwi Mukosi Dam to Renco Mine, where a substation will connect the power to the national grid.
The hydropower project forms part of broader efforts by government to maximise the economic benefits of the dam, which holds about 1.8 billion cubic metres of water and has remained largely underutilised since its completion nearly nine years ago.
The push to accelerate development around the dam was highlighted during the inception meeting, where government officials, planners and traditional leaders discussed plans to evaluate investments linked to the reservoir.
Permanent Secretary for National Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning in the Office of the President and Cabinet Fananai Madambi said the evaluation was a Cabinet directive aimed at ensuring the dam generates meaningful returns.
“Tugwi Mukosi is one of the major investment structures by the government. Any investment is supposed to give us the desired return on investment. The purpose of this evaluation is to determine the benefits that should be realised and where we currently stand,” said Madambi.
Meanwhile, Chief Chivi born Adeline Mauswa welcomed the development, saying communities in the drought-prone district were already benefiting from some irrigation schemes linked to the dam and urged the government to prioritise local employment.
“The dam is beneficial to us in Chivi because this is a dry region, and we already have some irrigation schemes coming from it. But we urge the government to increase the number of irrigation schemes so that more communities can benefit. We are also looking forward to the establishment of the power plant and hope that residents from Chivi will be considered for employment,” said Mauswa.
Officials from the Department of Spatial Planning also confirmed that a master plan to guide investment around the dam is already in place and will soon be submitted for further approval before being opened for public review.
