ZESCO Signs a Deal to Build 470MW Solar Plant in Serenje

ZESCO has signed a power purchase agreement with Swarna Solar Limited to construct the 470 Megawatts solar project in Serenje district, Central province.

Prasad Devinei Swarna Solar Limited General manager said the total cost of the project is $470 million, he highlighted his confidence that the first 100 megawatts will be commissioned by March 27, 2027.

ZESCO Director Project and Planning Francis Namakanda added that equipment is expected to be brough in Zambia in August of this year.

Namakanda announced that the single biggest power plant is sitting on 580 hectares of land, and that this is just the beginning, “drawings have already been approved, orders have been made, they expect to start getting equipment in August this year and the first 100 megawatts [are] scheduled for commission in March.”

Devinei affirmed that the project would create over 400 jobs, he said “we are very much confident from 2027 March onwards, the first 100 megawatts will be commissioned. After that, every one month, one and a half months, we will commission another 25 megawatts. That’s why we are very much confident we will complete this project in time. In the job creation aspect, at present, 120 people are working on the site. From August onward, it will rise to more than 200, 250. By the time the project is completed, there will be 400-450 people from the local community”.