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The newly commissioned 60MW Itimpi Solar Plant in Kitwe comes at a critical time as Zambia faces a severe power shortage, posing threats to energy and food security.
The investment has been hailed as a significant milestone in achieving diversification within the energy sector, with the potential to mitigate the current power deficit in the country.
Last week, President Hakainde Hichilema commissioned phase 1 of CECs 60MW Itimpi solar power project.
Last year, the president also commissioned the Copperbelt Energy Corporations (CEC) 34MW solar energy in Riverside, Kitwe bringing the total solar energy brought online by CEC to 94MW in the recent past.
Addressing Zambia energy challenges
Stakeholders say the plant not only marks a significant step forward in addressing Zambias energy challenges but also sets a precedent for sustainable development and cooperation within the energy sector.
Zambian energy expert Dr Johnstone Chikwanda described the investment as a leap of faith based on understanding that the days of depending on the hydro-electricity pathway are numbered.
Speaking to ESI Africa, Dr Chikwanda said hydrower in Zambias days are numbered because the maximum hydro-electric potential in the country is widely considered to be 6,000MW.
"Therefore, the future of Zambias energy requirements, when what will be required is more than what rivers can generously give, lies in other energy pathways. And if Zambias industrialisation agenda remains valid, at least 10,000MW will be needed in a few years less than our fingers." |
