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First Quantum Minerals (FQM) and electric utility company, Anzana Electric Group, have announced a strategic collaboration to develop new hydropower generation projects in northern Zambia.
The partnership plans for Anzana to provide up to 50 MW of reliable baseload power by 2030 to support FQM’s mining operations in the North-Western Province.
According to a joint press release, the development and construction of the projects are expected to create many construction jobs over a three-year period.
The initiative will, it is believed, will provide many rural Zambians with opportunities to acquire technical skills and build local capacity.
In addition to diversifying FQM’s power supply, the projects are expected to deliver broader network benefits, including improved grid stability and reduced electricity losses.
FQM Zambia Country Director, Anthony Mukutuma, said that once commissioned, the projects would also enable additional variable generation initiatives in the area.
“Secure access to reliable baseload power is essential for mining operations in Zambia. Accessing new hydropower through the national grid, in coordination with Zesco, supports our long-term energy requirements while strengthening the electricity system and Zambia’s broader development agenda,” he said.
Mukutmua added that the collaboration supports Zambia’s energy sector reforms and aligned mining-led growth along the Lobito Corridor with new investments that strengthened the country’s electricity system.
Anzana Electric Group Chief Executive Officer, Brian Kelly, highlighted the wider benefits of the initiative.
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“By adding dependable baseload power in strategic locations and delivering it through the national grid to enable critical industrial development, these projects will benefit FQM, Zesco, and electricity users across the country,” he said.
The mine operates in Zambia’s portion of the Lobito Corridor, a priority economic zone for regional trade and mineral development, supported by the United States and other G7 partners.
Anzana recently signed a binding term sheet with Zambia’s state-owned power utility, ZESCO, to form a joint venture aimed at expanding the national grid and connecting approximately two million Zambians along the Corridor to electricity by 2030.
Electricity from Anzana’s proposed hydropower projects is expected to be delivered to FQM through a wheeling arrangement with ZESCO, reflecting Zambia’s continued progress toward open access frameworks that enable private investment in generation while strengthening the national power system.
The hydropower projects will be strategically located in Northern Zambia, where hydrological conditions are less exposed to seasonal variability, ensuring reliable year-round generation.
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