President Hichilema Commissions Expanded Chisamba Solar Project to Reach 400MW

President Hakainde Hichilema has commissioned the 200-megawatt (MW) Chisamba Phase Two Solar Power Project, expanding the facility’s total generating capacity to 400 MW and marking a major milestone in Zambia’s drive to overcome energy deficits.

​The completion of Phase Two, built at a cost of $75 million following the $100 million Phase One development, brings the overall investment in the Chisamba solar installation to $175 million.
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Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, President Hichilema highlighted the government’s strategy of converting environmental challenges such as severe drought and resulting load-shedding into a catalyst for energy diversification.

​”When faced with a challenge, you plan on how to resolve it,” President Hichilema emphasised, noting that vision and proactive leadership are essential during times of national crisis.

President Hichilema reaffirmed that the 10,000 MW target remains achievable through disciplined execution, declaring that “the reality is here, and it is actively being done.”

​He said the expansion of the Chisamba facility is a cornerstone in the UPND administration’s broader roadmap to secure Zambia’s energy future.

Addressing critics, President Hichilema underscored that long-term strategic vision separates sustainable governance from reactive policy.
​”If you are just copying what the UPND is doing, you will eventually run out of ideas,” he said.

The Head of State commended ZESCO for maintaining momentum ​and commencing Phase 2 immediately following the completion of Phase one.

President Hichilema also expressed gratitude to Chief Chamuka and other local traditional leaders, commending them as pivotal partners in community-led development.

ZESCO Managing Director Engineer Justin Loongo described the expansion as clear evidence of the utility’s resolve to build a robust and climate-resilient energy sector. He explained that Zambia’s electricity landscape is undergoing a necessary shift to embrace power diversity in response to severe climate change pressures.

Noting ZESCO’s key role in delivering the project alongside public-private partnerships (PPPs) and inter-corporate partners, Eng. Loongo highlighted that the expansion establishes Chisamba as the largest operational solar farm in the country, demonstrating the tangible results that strategic collaboration can achieve.
​Eng. Loongo also emphasised the transformative socio-economic benefits the installation brings to the surrounding chiefdom and local communities. He revealed that the project directly generated 1,480 local jobs during construction, proving that renewable energy infrastructure acts as a vital catalyst for stimulating local economies and driving national development.

Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit Kusobile Kamwambi emphasised that the project marks a crucial milestone toward achieving the government’s ambitious ten-gigawatt national energy target. She noted that the rapid expansion of the Chisamba solar facility is a direct response to presidential directives aimed at fortifying Zambia’s overall energy security in the face of ongoing climate challenges.

​Ms. Kamwambi highlighted that the completion of Phase Two represents the concrete realization of that strategic vision, proving that high-priority national goals can be tracked and delivered efficiently.

She added that beyond its national impact, the facility stands as a fulfilled promise to the people of Chisamba, bringing tangible development, jobs, and energy reliability directly to the local community.