Ministry of Electricity, Principal Public Relations Officer, Bob Sianjalika says Zambia has embarked on an energy diversification programme aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on hydroelectricity and increasing power generation capacity to 10,000 megawatts by 2031.…

Ministry of Electricity, Principal Public Relations Officer, Bob Sianjalika says Zambia has embarked on an energy diversification programme aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on hydroelectricity and increasing power generation capacity to 10,000 megawatts by 2031.

Speaking in an interview with the media today, Mr Sianjalika says the move follows the lessons learnt from the 2023 and 2024 droughts, which exposed the risks of relying heavily on hydroelectric power.

He said during the drought period, about 75 to 85 percent of the country’s electricity came from hydropower, making electricity generation vulnerable to reduced rainfall.

Mr Sianjalika added that the government is therefore promoting an energy mix that includes solar, wind and thermal power to strengthen the country’s energy security and reduce the impact of future droughts.

“More than 30 energy projects are currently at different stages of implementation across the country, all aimed at increasing electricity supply to the national grid” he added.

Mr Sianjalika said three additional solar power plants, each with a generation capacity of 100 megawatts, are expected to be commissioned before the end of 2026.

He says the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) is also implementing solar mini-grid and mini-hydropower projects to extend electricity access to communities that are not connected to the national grid.

Mr Sianjalika says the Presidential Constituency Energy Initiative, which targets the development of two megawatts of power in each of the country’s 226 constituencies, is expected to contribute 312 megawatts to national generation capacity.

Mr Sianjalika says ZESCO is also investing in solar energy as an alternative source of electricity, while private sector participation in power generation has increased following reforms introduced by the government in 2024.

He says the reforms have opened up the electricity sector to private investment, including opportunities for electricity trading.

Mr Sianjalika says the investments from both government and private players are expected to contribute towards achieving the national target of 10,000 megawatts.

He says Zambia’s current installed electricity generation capacity stands at approximately 4,377 megawatts, with the country working towards reaching 5,000 megawatts in the near future.

Mr Sianjalika says the government is confident that the various projects being implemented will help the country achieve its 10,000-megawatt target within the next four years.