• Zambia launched or advanced more than 385 MW of solar projects between late 2025 and early 2026.
• Authorities commissioned or started construction of three 100 MW solar plants as part of power mix diversification.
• Hydropower accounted for about 90% of electricity generation in 2023, according to the IEA.

On December 17, 2025, Zambian authorities launched construction of the 100 MW Siavonga solar photovoltaic project, with planned investment of $80 million. ZESCO Limited developed the project through its joint venture JIGSCO Energy Corporation Limited, in partnership with Jigsaw Investments, while Power China acted as the EPC contractor. The project targets commercial commissioning in December 2026 and aims to strengthen energy security and improve grid resilience amid climate-related constraints on hydropower generation.

Two days later, on December 19, the government launched construction of another 100 MW solar project, Chisamba Phase II. The Ministry of Energy said the project supports the national strategy to diversify the electricity mix and reduce the power system’s vulnerability.

This rollout continued into early 2026 with operational progress in Mansa, in Luapula Province. Pre-commissioning tests of a 50 MW solar plant injected about 14 MW into the national grid. This output exceeded local peak demand of 9 MW, helping end daytime load shedding in Mansa and partially in Kasama. Authorities expect full commissioning in April 2026.

At the same time, the solar push expanded into the Southern Province, a region that historically hosts Zambia’s main hydropower assets. On December 4 and December 8, 2025, authorities and ZESCO launched construction of a 100 MW solar plant in Chirundu, a 35 MW solar plant in Choma, and a 330 kV transmission line.

The Chirundu and Choma plants sit in the same zone as the Kafue Gorge Upper, Kafue Gorge Lower, and Kariba North Bank hydropower dams, which form the backbone of national electricity production.

According to the International Energy Agency, hydropower accounted for about 90% of Zambia’s electricity generation in 2023. However, with multiple solar plants now operational and others under construction across several provinces, Zambia has begun to build the foundations of a more diversified and reliable power system.

Abdoullah Diop