Zambia Begins Building 100-MW Solar Farm, Set to Boost National Power Supply

Zambia has commenced the construction of its 100-MW solar project, a move which is said to boost local power supply and tackle the challenges affecting local hydropower production in the southern African country. 

The project, valued at 80 million dollars, was implemented by JIGSCO Energy Corporation Limited, a joint venture between Zambian national power utility ZESCO and Jigsaw Investments while Power China led engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the initiative. The Siavonga solar farm is billed to begin commercial operation by December 2026. 

The project may change the power sector in Zambia’s future for a nation that has been at the forefront of rolling out energy efficiency policies to reduce overburdening other means of power generation. 

The solar farm aligns with Zambia’s Integrated Resource Plan and the National Energy Policy (2019). Sources close to the initiative stated that it is expected to accelerate the war against erratic power supply in the nation while providing job opportunities for locals and boosting the national economy. 

A top government official Arnold Simwaba said, “The project demonstrates the Government’s commitment to translating policy into bankable investments that diversify the energy mix, build resilience against climate variability and guarantee reliable electricity supply for economic growth.” 

It is noteworthy that this move is just one of a host of others that Zambia has taken in recent times to strengthen energy access in the country. For instance, Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema in June 2025 opened the biggest grid-connected solar power plant in the region, saying it would reduce its reliance on electricity imports from neighbours South Africa and Mozambique.