he Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) has identified the expansion of the electricity power interconnector between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as one of its key infrastructure investment priorities.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the national dialogue on Zambia’s energy sector in Lusaka, CEC Head Government Relations, Silvester Hibajene, said the initiative is aimed at addressing the growing demand for electricity in both Zambia and the DRC.
Mr Hibajane emphasised the need for Zambia to build sufficient capacity to actively participate in electricity trading, in line with its goal of becoming a regional hub for power generation and exports.
“So the expansion of the Interconnector transmission line is a key area that the Corporation is focusing on, for the past four years we have invested so much and managed to deliver 30 megawatts of solar,” he said.
Mr Hibajene further disclosed that CEC has lined up several projects that are expected to be completed within the next three to five years, targeting about 800 megawatts of solar power.
He added that some of the projects will be implemented in partnership with Zesco.
“So that is the road we have, investing in the interconnector transmission line and power generation, we need to also invest in battery energy storage. It is important that we have the power available throughout using battery energy storage,”he said.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus on Energy and Mining, Christopher Kang’ombe, highlighted the importance of continued dialogue on energy issues, noting that the sector is vital for industrialisation, agriculture and mining among others.
In an interview with the media, Mr Kang’ombe stressed the need for adequate energy supply to help Zambia meet its target of producing three million tonnes of copper annually by 2031.
“So this meeting with literally all the sector players such as the private and public sectors like CEC, ZESCO, Civil Society organisations and Ministry of Energy, is vital in addressing various challenges in the energy sector,” he said.
He added that lawmakers must review the electricity Act to ensure it supports the kind of development required in the energy sector.
Earlier, in his presentation, Ministry of Energy Chief Planner, Tito Manseli, said Zambia has set a target to increase its electricity generation capacity to 10,000 megawatts by 2030.
He noted that achieving this goal will require diversifying the country’s energy mix beyond its heavy reliance on hydropower, through the development of alternative sources such as solar, coal, wind and other technologies under the Ministry of Energy.
“So we are looking at how we are able to develop solar, coal, wind and other technologies so that we achieve the target of having 10 thousand megawatts by 2030. Currently in 2026, we are sitting around 3,900 megawatts,” he said.
The CEC’s mandate is to ensure reliable power supply especially to the mining sector, while building and managing electricity infrastructure and participating in regional energy markets.
