Zambia’s 56 MWp Kafue Solar Project is moving into construction after securing US$52.1 million in financing, with electricity generation targeted for the third quarter of 2027. Independent power producer Globeleq has appointed Solarcentury Africa and Alensy Energy Solutions as joint engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors for the project in Lusaka Province. The financing was committed by Dutch development bank FMO and British International Investment (BII), marking a key step towards delivering new solar generation to Zambia’s national grid.
The facility will have a contracted generating capacity of 40 MWac, equivalent to 56 MWp of installed solar photovoltaic capacity. Once operational, it will sell electricity to state-owned utility ZESCO under a 25-year power purchase agreement. The project was awarded through the GET FiT Zambia Programme, an initiative led by Zambia’s Ministry of Energy in collaboration with Germany’s development bank KfW to encourage private investment in renewable energy projects.
The financing package comprises US$27.6 million from FMO and US$24.5 million from BII. Standard Bank South Africa is acting as security trustee, while the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation is supporting part of the grid connection works and upgrades at ZESCO’s Kafue Town substation. The project also includes a 3.5-kilometre transmission line connecting the solar facility to the substation, highlighting the importance of grid infrastructure in bringing new generation capacity online.
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Globeleq expects the plant to provide electricity equivalent to the needs of approximately 38,000 households and avoid around 48,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Construction is expected to create about 200 local jobs at its peak, with additional positions once the facility enters operation. These figures are projections; the actual benefits will depend on construction, commissioning and the plant’s eventual operating performance.
For Zambia, Kafue adds to efforts to diversify electricity supply and improve reliability for households, businesses and industry. But the project’s contribution will depend not only on installing the solar panels, but also on completing the associated grid works and successfully connecting the plant to the national network. With financing secured and the EPC contractors appointed, the focus now shifts to delivery ahead of the planned 2027 start of generation.
