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Zambia expects to eliminate its reliance on electricity imports next year as new energy projects come online, Energy Minister Makozo Chikote said on Friday in Lusaka.
Chikote told Zambia Monitor in an interview that the country was currently importing about 511 megawatts to supplement domestic generation, but that ongoing reforms and strategic investments were set to stabilise national supply. He attributed the improvement to government interventions since taking office.
He said Zambia had been hit hard by drought, which affected about 85 percent of its stored hydropower capacity, prompting authorities to accelerate alternative energy solutions including solar, coal and biomass.
“We are importing about 511 megawatts to supplement what we are generating, but looking at the projects in the pipeline, Zambia will have sufficient power supply for the nation,” he said.
Chikote added that the government was constructing coal plants and solar power facilities to support hydropower generation and boost economic activities such as irrigation and copper production.
He stressed the importance of diversification in the energy mix. “We have bounced back to 24 hours power supply, it’s not by magic, it’s because of the reforms and strategic interventions,” he said.
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The minister argued that sector reforms were delivering positive results, with the country now enjoying a more stable supply. “Zambia shall never again find itself in the situation we went through, thanks to alternative sources of energy we’re putting in place,” he added.
Chikote urged the public to focus on factual updates regarding the country’s energy progress rather than relying on “noise makers”.
“We should stop listening to noise makers. This is why I also told you media, when we talk about projects go to the site and see for yourselves so that you write facts. This power you see is not about elections,” he said, arguing that completed power plants “cannot be removed after elections”.
He said the government’s efforts were aimed at ensuring long-term energy security, with alternative sources supplementing hydropower, which previously accounted for 85 percent of the country’s 3,800-MW capacity.
“We will not get back to where we are coming from because the projects that we have put in place will supplement our power supply,” Chikote said.
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