Zambia is rapidly expanding its power system to support economic growth, with government and private investors driving a diversified generation mix that reduces reliance on hydropower. During a press briefing on the electricity sector, the ministry said solar power has grown remarkably from only 88 MW in 2021 to approximately 841 MW in 2026, placing the country firmly on course to achieve the target of 1 000 MW of solar generation by the end of this year.
Utility scale solar accounts for a significant share of this expansion, representing approximately 584 MW of capacity within the overall PV fleet.
Over the last five years, installed electricity generation capacity has increased from about 3 100 MW in 2021 to 4 576 MW in 2026. This 1 476 MW increase is changing how Zambia approaches electricity: power is increasingly treated as an economic resource to support mining, agriculture, manufacturing, irrigation, agro processing and other productive activities.
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Government has taken note of continued concerns over water levels at Kariba, given the country’s historical dependence on hydropower. The response has been to build a more diversified electricity system that combines hydro with solar, thermal, wind, geothermal and other sources, while attracting independent power producers and private capital.
Several major projects in Southern Province illustrate the scale of the expansion:
These developments underscore a strategic shift: the central question is no longer only whether Zambia has enough power for today’s consumption, but how much electricity will be needed to support expanded production across the economy.
Government’s electricity strategy is now built around expansion rather than simply managing shortages. The Presidential Constituency Energy Initiative plans 2 MW of solar generation for each of the country’s 156 constituencies, giving a potential 312 MW of additional distributed generation to support local supply and productive activities.
The wider objective is to ensure electricity reaches places where it can support economic activity: irrigation schemes, agro processing, milling, refrigeration, workshops, small businesses and other enterprises that can create jobs and generate income.
Progress in solar is particularly important because it demonstrates that Zambia’s electricity system is moving away from a model where hydropower carried most of the burden and low water levels could quickly translate into a national electricity problem. Diversification and investment are now the core of the approach, with government creating the policy and regulatory environment for independent power producers to enter the market while continuing to invest in public infrastructure and grid expansion.
The goal is to move electricity from being viewed mainly through the experience of load shedding to being understood as one of the foundations of Zambia’s growth. For the Grow Zambia agenda to succeed, the country will need more power than it has today, and the economy cannot expand significantly while generation remains tied to the limitations of a single major source. Read more
Zambia therefore has to build ahead of demand. The 1 000 MW solar target for end 2026, the increase in installed generation from 3 100 MW to 4 576 MW over five years, and the major projects under construction across Southern Province are all part of that shift. The focus is increasingly on what electricity can produce, how much economic activity it can support and, ultimately, how much value Zambia can create from having more power available.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
August 10, 2026
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