Energy Minister July Moyo Updates on Hwange and Highfield Repairs: Here’s When Electricity Will Be Restored

Energy Minister July Moyo Updates on Hwange and Highfield Repairs: Here’s When Electricity Will Be Restored

The Minister of Energy and Power Development, July Moyo, has given an update regarding the repairs at Highfield substation and Hwange Power Station.

Speaking to members of the media on Monday, 5 May, after touring Highfield substation together with Minister of Information Jenfan Muswere, Minister Moyo gave an update on the repair work being done by the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA).

Energy Minister July Moyo Updates on Hwange and Highfield Repairs

He clarified that the fire in Highfield and the problems at Hwange are unrelated, even though they happened around the same time. According to him, ZESA decided to shut down most of Hwange Power Station as a safety measure after a fault occurred on one of the units.

“We have been hit by two incidents which are unconnected. First, there was an incident in Hwange where ZESA had to shut down five units, which normally would be working. But Unit 5 has been out of service and is under repair. The other five units were working, but because of an incident which occurred, ZESA felt it was better to stop operations there. So we lost all the power that normally comes from Units 1 to 4, plus 6,” Moyo said.

When Will Electricity Be Restored in Highfields?

Turning to the fire incident at Highfield, Moyo said many surrounding areas lost power, but ZESA teams have been working around the clock to restore the supply. Some parts would start getting electricity back on Monday evening, but full restoration would only be completed by Wednesday night.

“There was a fire which occurred, and it cut off the supply to most of the areas in this vicinity, and because of that, ZESA has been working hard to restore the supply to all the places that are affected right now. As I understand, this evening they are now putting back some units I the substation and they’ll be able to supply immediately. They will only be able to restore everything by Wednesday evening,” the Minister explained.

Also read: Highfield Zesa Substation Catches Fire Plunging Some Parts Of Harare Into Darkness

Ageing Infrastructure a Growing Concern

He also stressed that the Highfield incident was a wake-up call. Zimbabwe’s power infrastructure is old and needs serious upgrades, from generation to distribution.

“We will do everything to ensure that we restore normalcy. If anything else, what has happened has shown us the need for investment in the power stations in the supply chains, the transmission lines, as well as the distribution lines, because these have become very, very old,” he said.

Watch the video below:

1)The Minister of Energy and Power Development Hon July Moyo, along with the Minister of Information Hon Dr Jenfan Muserre, toured the site this evening to assess the progress of restoration efforts following the fire incident. pic.twitter.com/7cSPrjxPkT

— ZETDC (@ZetdcOfficial) May 5, 2025