Power China to Build 600MW of Solar Power Plants for $548m in Zambia

In Zambia, the national electric company Zesco has just signed a $ 548 million contract with Power China for the development of three solar power plants. The infrastructure will have a combined capacity of 600 MW, the organization said in a statement.

“The three solar power plants will be connected to the national electricity grid and will have an individual capacity of 200 MW each,” said Victor Mundende, executive director of Zesco. The official also added that these new infrastructures will increase access to energy and improve industrial development.

The construction of these plants is also part of the country’s energy mix diversification policy. Zambia, which mainly depends on hydroelectricity to meet its energy needs, has seen its deficit increase by 20% since September 2019, rising to 810 MW, i.e. more than half of the electricity demand. This decrease was caused by the slowdown in the production of the Kariba dam (1,050 MW) due to the lack of water.