Government invests US$84.2 million in Kasama solar

Government has invested 84.2million United States dollars in the construction of 100MW Kasama Solar photovoltaic power project in Northern Province. President Hakainde Hichilema says the investment is a step towards building an energy secure Zambia. The President who spoke through Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa at the ground breaking ceremony of the Kasama 100MW solar project said the project will reduce the existing pressure on power generation.

“Today, we are not simply launching the construction of a solar power plant, we are essentially taking another step towards building an energy-secure Zambia,” Mr Hichilema said. Mr Hichilema said the goal is to increase Zambia’s electricity-generation capacity to approximately 10,000 megawatts within the next five years. “Ten thousand megawatts means more than additional power, it means mines operating and expanding, factories producing Zambian goods, businesses creating employment and communities gaining access to economic opportunity,” he explained.

He explained that the period of extensive power management was a lesson that Zambia cannot continue depending predominantly on one source of electricity. “Hydropower remains an important natural resource, however, the changing rainfall patterns have demonstrated the risks of excessive dependence on water for electricity generation,” he said. “We must, therefore, build a balanced and diversified electricity system comprising solar, hydropower, wind, appropriate base load generation, energy storage, stronger transmission, and distribution networks,” Mr Hichilema added And ZESCO Managing Director Justin Loongo said the objective of the Kasama Solar Project is to enhance the generation mix and improve the reliability and supply of electricity.

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Mr Loongo said the project will also create employment opportunities during construction and operation, contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions and support socio-economic development in Kasama and surrounding areas. He said Electricity generated from the plant will be evacuated through an approximately 5.7-kilometre, 330 kV transmission line to the Kasama 330/66 kV Main Substation and thereafter supplied into the national grid.

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