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Zambia and Angola have signed an agreement to develop a power project that will connect the two countries, aiming to reduce the electricity crisis.
ZESCO Limited signed on behalf of Zambia, while Rede Nacional de Transporte de Electricidade (RNT) represented Angola.
The agreement, sealed on Thursday in Lusaka, established the Zambia-Angola power transmission interconnector project and cross-border power supply to help address the power crisis.
Zambia is expected to spend about $350 million on the project, which is anticipated to connect the two countries by 2027.
The World Bank, African Development Bank, European Union, Swefund, and other partners have supported feasibility and environmental studies for the interconnector project within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
At the signing ceremony, ZESCO Managing Director, Victor Mapani, highlighted that recent statistics showed Angola had excess electricity production capacity, which Zambia intends to utilize during its current power deficit.
“It is with great pleasure that I stand before you today to execute the MoU between ZESCO Limited and RNT. This significant milestone is a pivotal step in our ongoing commitment to regional cooperation and sustainable development in the energy sector. ZESCO and RNT are both national power utilities for their respective countries and members of the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP),” Mapani said.
RNT Chief Executive Officer, Rui Gourgel, noted that Angola was not yet interconnected but stressed the importance of collaboration to achieve the project’s intended purpose. “If the two countries were already connected, Zambia would not be facing the current power challenges. We need to work together to achieve the project’s goals,” Gourgel said.
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