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Zambia’s efforts to address its ongoing electricity crisis may have received a boost, with President Hakainde Hichilema announcing that the national power utility company, ZESCO, has signed three agreements aimed at closing the energy gap.
Announcing the deals on Wednesday, Hichilema said, “Today, we witnessed the signing of three agreements between ZESCO and Power China, aimed at diversifying and addressing the country’s energy deficit caused by one of the worst droughts in recent history.”
The agreements included a framework cooperation for the supply, delivery, and installation of rooftop solar systems, an Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) agreement for the Kariba North Solar photovoltaic (PV) project and another for the Kafue Gorge Lower Solar PV power plant.
Hichilema said that these projects, once realised, would help mitigate the current energy deficit.
He acknowledged the severe impacts of energy insecurity on the economy and livelihoods, especially for vulnerable groups, stating, “We are aware of the challenges in the energy sector and the cascading effects on the economy and our people’s livelihoods, especially the most vulnerable in our society, the women and the youths.”
The president reaffirmed government’s commitment to diversifying Zambia’s energy mix away from reliance on hydroelectric power, which was increasingly vulnerable to climate-induced droughts, and stated, “We must emerge from this crisis even stronger as a nation.”
Hichilema is currently in China on a working visit from August 30 to September 7, 2024. During this visit, he will attend the Ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit.
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