Zambia doubles capacity of Chisamba solar project

Zambian state-owned power company ZESCO has commissioned the second phase of the Chisamba solar power plant, doubling the complex’s generation capacity to 200 MW.

The first phase of the Chisamba project was completed by May 2025. It was developed by ZESCO’s subsidiary Kariba North Bank Extension Power Corp, with Powerchina working as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor. The first phase was priced at $100 million. 

Speaking during an inauguration ceremony for the second phase, Zambia’s President, Hakainde Hichilema, said the additional 100 MW took seven months to construct and created more than 1,400 jobs. The expansion cost $70 million instead of an initially estimated $100 million.

The President added that the government’s strategic investments in the energy sector have effectively ended electricity load shedding in Zambia. The country suffered a drought in 2024, exposing an over dependence on hydropower and forcing power outages.

“The commissioning of Chisamba II marked another milestone in transforming Zambia’s electricity sector through increased diversification of the country’s energy mix in response to the realities of climate change,” added ZESCO Managing Director Justin Loongo.

The Chisamba complex forms part of the Zambian government’s plan to deploy 1 GW of utility-scale solar by the end of the year as part of a broader target of increasing Zambia’s installed electricity generation capacity to 10 GW by 2030. The country’s largest operational solar asset to date, the 136 MW Itimpi II solar plant, was switched on in May.

The Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) has tracked 1.15 GW of operational solar in Zambia, according to figures available in its project database. It adds a further 1.64 GW are currently under construction.

Zambia has been cited as one of Africa’s most attractive markets for renewable energy investment thanks to new procurement mechanisms and ongoing market liberialization.