ZIMBABWE has agreed to allow ZESCO to use more water from the Kariba Dam in order to generate additional electricity after the utility exhausted its 2025 water allocation.

This follows Energy Minister Makozo Chikote's request to Zimbabwe to increase ZESCO's 2025 water allocation for the Kariba North Bank Power Station, after the company had already used up its 14 billion cubic metres of water for the year.The agreement was reached during a joint ministerial meeting on energy held in Harare on October 20, 2025, between Energy Minister Chikote and his Zimbabwean counterpart, July Moyo.According to a statement issued by the third secretary of communications at the Zambian embassy in Harare, Grace Likando, the centre of the meeting was the water usage at the Kariba Dam.Chikote reaffirmed Zambia's commitment to maintaining strong cooperation with Zimbabwe in managing the shared resource and thanked his counterpart for the continued partnership in the energy sector.Meanwhile, Moyo urged the private sector to support both governments by investing in alternative energy sources such as solar, gas and fossil fuels, to ease pressure on hydroelectric power from the Kariba Dam.He also praised Zambia for its efforts in diversifying energy production, citing the Mamba Energy Project as an example of progress in alternative energy development.Both ministers noted the importance of protecting the Zambezi River, describing it as a shared asset vital to the two nations' power generation and economic growth.The meeting was attended by senior government officials, including ZESCO Managing Director Eng. Justin Loongo, Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Munyaradzi Munodawafa and energy experts from both countries.