AS Zambia continues to face load shedding, Energy Minister Makozo Chikote has encouraged citizens to invest in solar energy as part of the solution to the country’s power crisis.
Addressing Parliament on Thursday, Chikote said government was actively promoting net metering, a system that allows individuals and businesses who install solar panels to feed any surplus electricity into the national grid.
This, he said, would help ease the energy deficit while also empowering citizens to be part of the recovery process.
So far, the Minister revealed that the Ministry had recorded 840 applications for net metering, of which 305 have been completed.
However, 535 applications are still pending due to challenges such as incompatible inverters.
“Currently, 83 Zambians referred to as “prosumers” because they both produce and consume energy have successfully connected their systems to the national grid,” Chikote shared.
He called on Members of Parliament, civil servants and corporate leaders to lead by example by installing solar systems in their homes and businesses, describing it as a show of goodwill and commitment to clean and reliable energy.
In response to President Hakainde Hichilema’s directive for Zambia to generate an additional 1,000 megawatts (MW) of solar power by the end of the year, Chikote revealed that a number of projects were already underway.
He announced that a 100MW solar plant in Chisamba has already been completed and will soon be commissioned.
Further, a 25MW project in Serenje is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2025, while ZESCO’s 50MW solar project in Mansa and Cooma Solar’s 50MW project in Choma are scheduled for completion by the fourth quarter of this year.
Additional developments include smaller solar installations such as Kasupe (7.5MW) and Shang’ombo (2MW), as well as a 57MW project under the Green Cities Initiative between ZESCO and Kiyona.
The Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) is also working on a 136MW expansion in Kitwe under its Itimpi Phase II, while independent power producers are contributing 95MW through microgeneration projects.
Another 120MW is expected from the GETFiT programme, all by the end of 2025.
Looking into 2026, he said more projects are planned to continue strengthening Zambia’s energy mix.
These include a 90MW second phase of the microgeneration initiative and the 25MW Solar Century Phase II.
“Off-grid rural electrification projects are also expected to contribute an additional 2MW by late 2026,” said the Minister.
Other major developments include a 100MW second phase of the Chisamba solar plant, a 100MW solar plant in Siavonga, a 100MW contribution from the Kafue Gorge Lower project, and a 100MW solar project in Maamba.
Chikote also noted that a second phase of the coal-fired plant at Maamba, which will add 300MW to the national grid was on track for completion by the second quarter of 2026.
He said all these projects reflect government’s vision of delivering sustainable and stable energy to all parts of the country.
Chikote stressed that despite the current hardships, the country’s power challenges are temporary.
He assured the nation that the government remains committed to increasing electricity generation from diverse sources, building a resilient grid, and achieving energy sufficiency and surplus.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, June 14, 2025
