Zimbabwe Power Utility ZESA Hires Former Eskom Operations Chief
Zimbabwe has merged its three state power companies into ZESA (Private) Limited and hired former Eskom operations chief Jan Albert Oberholzer. The post Zimbabwe Power Utility ZESA Hires Former Eskom Operations Chief appeared first on The Rio Times .
Zimbabwe has restructured its power sector by merging ZESA Holdings, the Zimbabwe Power Company, and the transmission and distribution arm into a single entity. The newly formed company, ZESA (Private) Limited, will generate, transmit, and sell electricity. Cletus Nyachowe, a Zimbabwean operations veteran, was appointed group chief executive officer on May 1, 2026, while Jan Albert Oberholzer, a former Eskom chief operating officer, became the chief operating officer.
The merger aims to bring operating discipline to the utility and address issues such as ageing plant, deferred maintenance, and load shedding. The national grid collapsed on July 22, 2026, but power was restored within approximately three and a half hours, demonstrating the effectiveness of the merged utility. ZESA now faces challenges such as raising debt, planning maintenance, and setting tariffs to ensure profitability and maintain plant.
The successful recovery from the power outage highlights the importance of a reliable supply, which can reduce costs for mines, smelters, and irrigation schemes that currently rely on expensive diesel generators.
Written by urgent.news from The Rio Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
