Zimbabwe’s mining sector is entering a period of growing electricity demand, with the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe forecasting that consumption could rise from approximately 1,000MW today to more than 1,500MW within the next 12 months, driven by mine expansions and new mineral processing facilities.
Within this context, VUKA Group is launching the C&I Energy + Storage Summit Zimbabwe on 17 November 2027, a dedicated pre-conference programme co-located with Zimbabwe Mining Week 2026 (17-19 November 2026) at the Rainbow Towers Hotel & Conference Centre in Harare.
With a strong focus on the practicalities of bringing power to mines, the programme will bring mines, utilities, regulators, financiers, developers, OEMs and EPCs together to address a critical question: how can Zimbabwe secure the reliable and bankable power required for the next phase of mining growth?
From diagnosing the problem to unlocking megawatts
Rather than focusing only on Zimbabwe’s electricity constraints, the pre-conference programme is designed around practical solutions.
The programme will pinpoint critical mining power bottlenecks and identify five priority ZESA interventions to unlock output. It will also examine regional captive power and IPP models, producing a practical playbook to fast-track new megawatts through generation, storage, wheeling and aggregated procurement.
“Zimbabwe’s mining opportunity cannot be separated from its energy challenge,” said Marcel du Toit, Event Director: Power, Energy and Water, VUKA Group. “The industry needs to move beyond merely identifying the power shortage and start looking at which projects can be developed, financed and delivered. C&I Energy+Storage Summit Zimbabwe is being designed around that conversation.”
Making mining power projects bankable
Power availability alone will not solve the challenge. Projects also need to attract capital.
The programme includes a dedicated Bankability Clinic examining PPA clauses, foreign exchange risks and guarantees that determine whether mining energy projects reach financial close.
Discussions will cover tariff indexation, payment security, FX convertibility, curtailment, grid connection guarantees, political risk and other critical issues, with the session working to identify a “Zimbabwe mining power PPA minimum terms” framework.
Masterclasses take mines from strategy to implementation
The afternoon programme will move into two practical masterclasses.
Masterclass 1: Designing a 24/7 power solution for mines will explore how solar, storage, thermal and grid power can deliver reliable, cost-effective mining operations.
Masterclass 2: From term sheet to financial close will address bankable PPAs, investment structures and the key risks that prevent projects from reaching financial close.
Together, the sessions will help Zimbabwe’s mines develop reliable, investable energy systems that support 24/7 operations and expansion.
By bringing the organisations that need power together with those that can generate, finance, transmit and deliver it, C&I Energy+Storage Summit Zimbabwe aims to move the conversation from power constraints to projects – because if Zimbabwe’s mines are going to grow, the megawatts need to grow with them.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.
Masterclass link https://apo-opa.co/4hpd0Mo
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About C&I Energy+Storage Zimbabwe:
The C&I Energy + Storage Zimbabwe is a dedicated pre-conference programme at Zimbabwe Mining Week focused on energy, infrastructure and project finance. It brings mines, utilities, regulators, financiers, developers, OEMs and EPCs together to explore practical solutions for powering Zimbabwe’s mining sector.
