President Hakainde Hichilema says the government is taking decisive steps to increase the country’s energy supply, beginning with the roll-out of solar power stations in all constituencies.
Speaking during a media briefing at State House today, President Hichilema said each constituency will host a two-megawatt solar power plant, a move he believes will significantly reduce the impact of power outages.
He explained that the government has earmarked a substantial amount of money to a tune of K100 million for the project, and that part of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) will be redirected to support energy development.
According to the President, once fully implemented, the initiative will add over 320 megawatts to the national grid, helping to ease the current power deficit.
President Hichilema also noted that private-sector players, including several banks, have shown strong interest in supporting the solar rollout, recognising its potential to stabilise the country’s energy supply.
He attributed the ongoing power shortages to what he described as the worst drought in Zambia’s recent history, which has drastically reduced electricity generation capacity.
However, he assured citizens that the government is working tirelessly to resolve the situation.
“With the interventions we are putting in place, the power shortage will soon be addressed. Our goal is to ensure stable and reliable power for all citizens,” he said.
The President also highlighted several major projects currently underway, including the 300 megawatt (MW) Maamba expansion, 600 MW Capital Fertilizer project, 100 MW Chisamba project and the 50 megawatts Mansa project among others.
He added that policies such as open access to power infrastructure, independent power trading, and net metering are encouraging more private investment in the energy sector.
President Hichilema further urged households to consider adopting renewable energy solutions to help diversify the country’s energy sources.
He revealed that, for the first time, constituencies will be allowed to sign power purchase agreements with utility companies like ZESCO to sell excess power generated from their solar plants.
The Head of State emphasised that accelerating procurement processes is key to ensuring the swift establishment of the solar projects in constituencies.
He concluded by stressing that energy is central to economic growth and that the two-megawatt projects, once implemented in constituencies, will greatly enhance service delivery across the country.
I’m sorry Sir for me it’s too late
Going on a massive investment drive at a time us citizens were being subjected to long outages
didnt bode well plus now it fuel.
What happens now till elections will only be artificial and politically motivated to regain the upper hand