The national power utility of Zambia, ZESCO Limited, has broken ground on the 100 MW Chipata West solar project, which will supply power to rural communities. The company is implementing the project in partnership with China Machinery Engineering Corp.
During the ground breaking ceremony last month, ZESCO revealed that the project is expected to be delivered in 12 months, and will help Zambia achieve its ambitious target to have 1,000MW of solar power capacity by the end of 2025.
“The Chipata West 100MW solar project is a step towards achieving national energy security and self-sufficiency,” says Eng. Peter Chamfya, ZESCO Chief Operating Officer at the groundbreaking ceremony held in Musekela, Chipata West on Saturday, August 16 2025. “We’re diversifying Zambia’s energy mix, reducing reliance on hydropower, and promoting sustainable development.”
The Chipata West solar project will be located in Chief Chinyaku’s Chiefdom and is expected to contribute to Zambia’s energy security and self-sufficiency. Zambia has been importing power from the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) due to insufficient power generation capacity.
Solar to help Zambia diversify its energy mix
This drive for diversification is urgently needed. Zambia’s energy sector has long been dominated by hydropower, which accounts for over 80% of its electricity generation. The crown jewel of this system is the Kariba North Bank Power Station, a key facility with an installed capacity of 1,080 MW. For decades, it has been the workhorse of the national grid, providing relatively cheap and reliable power.
However, its vulnerability has been starkly exposed by a severe and prolonged drought, intensified by the El Niño weather phenomenon. Hydropower generation is entirely dependent on water levels in reservoirs. The Kariba Dam, which the power plant shares with Zimbabwe, has seen its water levels plummet to historic lows. This has forced the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), which manages the dam, to significantly reduce water allocations for power generation.
As a result, output from the critical Kariba North plant has been slashed, sometimes to a fraction of its capacity. This drastic reduction, combined with lower output from other smaller hydro stations, has created a massive power deficit, leading to prolonged and widespread load-shedding across the nation that has hampered economic activity and daily life.
“The government’s Solar Explosion initiative is aimed at not only increasing the energy available to homes, businesses and industries but also ensuring access to clean energy, reducing our carbon footprint and promoting sustainable development,” says Dr. Lewis Mwape, Eastern Province, Deputy Permanent Secretary.
The Provincial Deputy Permanent Secretary further disclosed that the government has taken aggressively forward-looking policy decisions over the past year—from approving and operationalizing accelerated regulations to removing duties on imported solar equipment.
