The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has allocated a total of 30 billion cubic metres (BCM) of water for power generation at Lake Kariba for the year 2026.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, 29 October, ZRA Public Relations and Communications Manager Selusiwe Moyo said the allocation will be shared equally between ZESCO Limited of Zambia and the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), with each utility receiving 15 BCM of water.
Moyo said the allocation is informed by the normal to above-normal rainfall forecast for the 2025/2026 rainy season, as projected by the Southern Africa Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF-31) and corroborated by the Meteorological Departments of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The 2026 allocation represents a 2 BCM increase from the 2025 allocation, which was initially set at 27 BCM and later revised to 28 BCM.
ZRA said that during the 2024/2025 rainfall season, which has now ended, the Kariba Catchment and the wider Zambezi River Basin received normal rainfall. The Authority said:
“Despite this, lake levels remained relatively lower compared to historical years but recorded higher usable live storage compared to the same period during the year 2024, which was negatively impacted by the drought that occurred at the time.”
Moyo stressed that while the Authority is responsible for allocating water for power generation, it neither generates electricity nor manages load distribution.
She advised members of the public to seek updates on electricity supply from ZESCO and ZPC.
Moyo added that the ZRA will continue to closely monitor rainfall patterns, river inflows, and lake levels through its hydrometric network, which comprises thirteen monitoring stations across the Kariba catchment area.
