• Zambia and Zimbabwe each pledge $220 million for Batoka Gorge revival

• 2,400 MW hydro project aims to supply 1,200 MW per country

• Funding boost seeks investors amid delays, drought-hit regional power supply

The governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe have pledged $220 million each to revive the Batoka Gorge hydroelectric project, which carries an estimated total cost of $4.2 billion.

The decision was taken after a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) in late 2025. The ZRA oversees joint hydroelectric projects between the two countries. The Zimbabwean reported on Thursday, Jan. 8, that the combined $440 million commitment is intended to improve the project’s bankability and attract private investors.

Located in the Zambezi River basin near Victoria Falls on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Batoka Gorge hydroelectric plant is designed to have an installed capacity of 2,400 megawatts (MW). Once completed, it is expected to supply 1,200 MW to each country, strengthening their national power grids.

Construction was initially scheduled to begin in 2020 but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, financing challenges, and a dispute over the awarding of the original construction contract to General Electric and China’s Power Construction Corp.

In June 2023, Zambia formally withdrew from the contract award process, citing a lack of transparency. In early 2025, Lusaka and Harare authorized the Zambezi River Authority to seek new investors for the project. Engineering, feasibility, and environmental impact studies are currently underway.

Meanwhile, the Kariba hydroelectric dam, which is central to the regional power system, is experiencing a sharp decline in water levels due to droughts linked to El Niño and climate change. Restarting the Batoka Gorge project forms part of a broader strategy to secure electricity supply in both Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Walid Kéfi