An Australian energy company is preparing to launch Zimbabwe’s first pilot gas-to-power project, aiming to help address the country’s persistent electricity shortages and potentially supply power to neighboring southern African nations. The initiative comes amid Zimbabwe’s efforts to diversify its energy sources, which currently rely heavily on coal-fired plants and hydropower that is vulnerable to drought.
Invictus Energy, which holds the distinction of being the sole oil and gas operator in Zimbabwe, announced plans to initiate a pilot project within the next 12 to 18 months to provide electricity to a gold mining operation. Scott Macmillan, the company’s chief executive, said the pilot will demonstrate the ability to extract, process, and deliver natural gas commercially, while ensuring all necessary government approvals are secured. Success in this initial phase would pave the way for scaling up to a full commercial project within two to three years.
The firm is scheduled to drill a new exploration well later this year in the northern Cabora Bassa Basin, a region where it reported significant gas discoveries last year. Although the total volume of extractable gas remains under evaluation, estimates suggest the basin could hold trillions of cubic feet of reserves. Macmillan noted that producing one trillion cubic feet of gas could generate around 500 megawatts of power annually—sufficient to supply approximately 250,000 homes for two decades.
Zimbabwe’s existing power infrastructure is mainly supported by the Hwange coal-fired power station and the Kariba hydroelectric dam, the latter’s output often constrained by low rainfall and drought conditions. Energy shortages have posed a serious challenge for the country’s economy, with a government report citing losses equivalent to 6.1 percent of GDP in 2022 due to both generation inefficiencies and transmission losses.
The company’s plan extends beyond domestic supply, with Macmillan highlighting the opportunity to export electricity to South Africa and Zambia, both of which host substantial mining industries with high energy demand. He emphasized that the success of such regional sales would depend on developing the appropriate infrastructure and market ecosystem to support natural gas commercialization.
The project gained momentum following the signing of a production-sharing agreement between Invictus Energy and the Zimbabwean government in May. The deal establishes a stable fiscal and regulatory framework designed to attract further investment in the country’s nascent petroleum sector. Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube acknowledged the significance of the agreement, recognizing the capital investment, technological expertise, and risks undertaken by the company in advancing petroleum exploration.
As Zimbabwe continues to seek solutions to its energy challenges, this gas-to-power endeavor marks a critical step toward leveraging domestic resources for power generation and enhancing regional energy security.