This archive report was first published on 14 November 2019.
On November 13, 2019, Zimbabwe's government introduced new energy regulations aimed at saving power, amidst a severe drought and constant breakdowns of coal-fired generators.
The country's electricity supplier will no longer be allowed to connect power to premises without solar water heaters, as of November 13, 2019. According to the regulations, 'No owner of the premises after the effective day of these regulations shall connect electrical geysers but may, at his or her own expense, install and use solar water heating systems.'
Electric water heaters consume up to 400 MW of power a day in Zimbabwe, where daily production totals 563 MW, against a demand of 1,200 MW. The government has previously stated that 40 per cent of households' electricity bills go towards water heating, with an estimated 300,000 electric heaters installed in the country in 2015.
Households are being forced to invest in solar energy due to fuel shortages, but initial installation costs remain too high for many people already grappling with the worst economic crisis in a decade.
