Zambia Integrates 100 MW Solar Plant into National Grid to Shore Up Energy Supply

On 30 June 2025, Zambia marked a major step forward in its renewable energy strategy with the commissioning of the 100 MW Chisamba solar power plant, now the country’s largest grid-connected solar facility. Developed by PowerChina and financed through a partnership involving Stanbic Bank and Zambia’s state utility, ZESCO, the plant is strategically designed to supply clean energy to both the national grid and large-scale mining operations such as First Quantum Minerals. This allows critical hydropower resources to be redirected to domestic and small business users, who are often hit hardest by electricity shortages.

he initiative comes at a critical time, as Zambia continues to battle severe power deficits stemming from recurring droughts that have drastically reduced hydropower generation. The $100 million Chisamba project not only diversifies the country’s energy mix but also symbolises President Hakainde Hichilema’s broader agenda of leveraging green infrastructure to meet rising energy demands sustainably. Plans are already in motion for a second phase that would double the capacity of the Chisamba solar complex to 200 MW by the end of 2025.

Zambia’s renewable energy trajectory creates a fertile ground for both foreign and local investors. The Chisamba project sets the stage for greater involvement in the solar energy value chainfrom technology supply and project financing to maintenance and training services. Mining firms, which consume vast amounts of energy, present ready off-takers for solar energy and storage solutions. Additionally, Zambia’s policy environment increasingly supports public-private partnerships in energy, offering incentives such as tax breaks, feed-in tariffs, and streamlined licensing for renewable energy ventures. Ancillary sectors like vocational training, local solar panel assembly, and rural electrification using mini-grids also hold immense promise as demand for energy access grows.

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