The Mt Kenya Times 
By Norman Mwale
“All relevant departments have been notified, and power restoration processes are currently underway.”
Zimbabwe plunged into darkness on Monday evening after the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company lost the entire national grid, triggering a nationwide power outage.
In a statement released shortly after the blackout, ZETDC confirmed the time of the incident and said emergency teams had been mobilised. “We noted the outage at 18:24 hours on 06 July 2026. Kindly be advised that we have lost the national grid,” the utility said. “All relevant departments have been notified, and power restoration processes are currently underway.”
The company did not provide an estimated time for full restoration and urged consumers to remain patient as engineers worked to bring the system back online. It assured the public that the situation was being treated as a priority.
The outage affected homes, businesses, hospitals and key service providers across all ten provinces, with traffic lights, water pumping stations and digital payment systems among the services disrupted. In Harare, long queues formed at fuel stations as residents sought alternatives for lighting and cooking, while in Bulawayo and Mutare, retailers switched to generators to maintain trade.
Stakeholders called for urgent communication and transparency from the power authority. The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce said the blackout would have a direct impact on productivity and urged ZETDC to provide regular updates. “Businesses cannot plan without information. We need clarity on timelines so that we can mitigate losses,” a chamber spokesperson said.
Consumer advocacy groups also raised concerns over the impact on vulnerable households. “For many families, this means no refrigeration, no security lights, and no way to charge phones to stay in contact,” said a representative of the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe. “We are appealing to ZETDC to prioritise critical facilities such as hospitals and water treatment plants in the restoration process.”
Energy experts noted that grid failures of this scale often result from a cascade trip, where the loss of one major transmission line causes others to shut down automatically to prevent damage. ZETDC has not yet confirmed the technical cause of Monday’s outage.
The latest blackout comes amid ongoing challenges in the power sector, including ageing infrastructure, foreign currency shortages for imports, and growing demand. Government officials have in recent months pledged investment in transmission upgrades and alternative energy sources to reduce reliance on the national grid.
As of late Monday, ZETDC said teams were on the ground conducting fault tracing and switching procedures. The utility reiterated its apology for the inconvenience and said updates would be issued as restoration progressed.
Residents across the country have been advised to switch off appliances to avoid damage from power surges when supply returns.
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