Zambia is accelerating its transition toward clean energy through major solar investments designed to reduce electricity shortages, strengthen energy security, and reduce the country’s overreliance on hydropower.
The urgency behind this transition intensified after severe droughts in 2024 sharply reduced water levels in key reservoirs, triggering widespread electricity shortages that disrupted households, businesses, hospitals, schools, and industrial operations across the country.
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For decades, hydropower dominated Zambia’s electricity generation system. However, the recent crisis exposed the risks of depending too heavily on a single energy source. In response, the government introduced reforms aimed at diversifying power generation, improving efficiency, and strengthening long-term energy planning.
At the centre of this strategy is Zambia’s ambitious goal of increasing national electricity generation capacity to 10,000 megawatts by 2031.
Solar energy has emerged as the driving force behind that transformation. Through the Presidential 1,000MW Solar Initiative, the country is investing heavily in large-scale solar infrastructure to reduce climate-related vulnerabilities and improve electricity reliability nationwide.
One of the most important milestones in this transition is the commissioning of the 100-megawatt Chisamba Solar Power Plant, now the country’s largest grid-connected solar facility. Developed through a partnership between PowerChina and ZESCO Limited, the project represents a significant step toward expanding renewable electricity generation across the country.
Momentum has continued to build with the commissioning of two additional large-scale projects in 2026: the 50-megawatt Mabumba Solar Photovoltaic Plant in Mansa and the 136-megawatt Itimpi II Solar PV Plant in Zambia’s Copperbelt region.
These projects demonstrate how Zambia’s clean energy policies are increasingly translating into tangible improvements for businesses and communities.
The Mabumba Solar Plant, commissioned by Hakainde Hichilema in April 2026, is capable of fully supplying the 27-megawatt peak electricity demand of Luapula Province while exporting excess electricity to the national grid to support supply in other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the Itimpi II Solar Plant contributes an additional 136 megawatts and is expected to generate approximately 275 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually.
By 2025, Zambia had already commissioned 175.5 megawatts of solar power through projects in Chisamba, Mailo-Serenje, and multiple rooftop installations. With the addition of Mabumba and Itimpi II, the country’s installed solar generation has now surpassed 225 megawatts, while several other projects remain under construction or near completion.
Hundreds of additional megawatts are expected to come online between 2025 and 2026 as Zambia accelerates its renewable energy expansion.
The impact of these investments extends far beyond electricity generation figures. Reliable power is essential for economic activity and daily life. Stable electricity allows small businesses to operate more efficiently, supports healthcare delivery, improves learning conditions in schools, and strengthens local economies.
Market traders can preserve goods longer, artisans can increase productivity, and students can study without frequent blackouts disrupting daily routines.
The projects are also creating substantial employment opportunities. Construction of the Itimpi II facility engaged more than 2,500 workers over a 14-month period, with around 1,800 workers active on-site during peak construction. The Mabumba project created up to 250 jobs while also supporting technical training and skills development within local communities.
Zambia’s renewable energy expansion is being reinforced by policy reforms designed to attract private-sector investment and accelerate solar adoption.
The country’s Integrated Resource Plan is guiding the transition toward a more balanced and resilient electricity mix, while new regulations are making distributed solar systems more accessible to households and businesses.
One of the most important reforms is the introduction of net metering through Statutory Instrument No. 38 of 2024, implemented by ZESCO Limited in August 2024.
The programme allows consumers to generate their own solar electricity and export excess power back into the national grid. More than 800 customers have already joined the initiative, contributing over 22 megawatts of installed solar generation capacity.
Combined with additional rooftop systems, distributed solar generation now exceeds 23 megawatts. Consumers have collectively exported thousands of megawatt-hours back into the grid while earning approximately K7 million in energy credits.
International investors are also increasingly recognising Zambia as an emerging renewable energy destination.
Chinese manufacturer LONGi Green Energy has announced plans to develop a 100-megawatt solar project in the country, with potential expansion to 200 megawatts. Public-private partnerships involving ZESCO Limited and Copperbelt Energy Corporation are also advancing plans to jointly develop up to 1,000 megawatts of solar projects nationwide.
Looking ahead, Zambia plans to add another 500 megawatts of renewable electricity generation while integrating battery energy storage systems to improve grid stability and reliability.
Although hydropower will remain an important component of the country’s electricity mix, solar energy is increasingly becoming the backbone of Zambia’s future energy strategy.
Through projects such as Mabumba and Itimpi II, Zambia is building a more resilient, inclusive, and climate-adaptive energy system capable of supporting long-term economic growth and sustainable development.
The country’s clean energy transition is no longer simply about responding to a power crisis. It is increasingly about reshaping Zambia’s economic future through reliable, sustainable, and diversified energy infrastructure.
