Zambia has added 100 MW to its Chisamba solar plant, with construction of the second phase taking just seven months.
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.
