Lunzua and Valinor Break Ground on US$8 Million Solar Plant in Zambia’s Western Province

Once complete, the plant will have an installed capacity of 11 megawatt-peak (MWp) or 10 megawatt alternating current (MWac) and generate approximately 22 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity a year, enough to supply around 4,600 homes annually.

Martin Kasemuka, Chief Executive Officer of Lunzua Power Company, said:

“We are delighted to begin construction of this plant — the first renewable power generation project in Mwandi. This investment reflects our conviction that well-structured solar assets will meaningfully improve energy security for the people of Mwandi. Together with our partners at Valinor, we are helping to build a more secure and resilient national supply and to strengthen the grid. We are equally proud that the project will create around 100 jobs over the six-month construction period, and several permanent roles once the plant is operational.”

Joel Mwale, Lunzua Power Company’s Head, Renewable Energy, added at the groundbreaking ceremony in Mwilima:

The journey to get to this groundbreaking ceremony has been long, but well worth the wait because we believe that this 10MWac solar plant will positively impact the local economy in Mwandi District and the wider Western Province through job creation, initially at the construction phase of development, and subsequently once the plant is operational. This 10MW solar plant is significant because we are helping to develop Mwandi District. The evacuation line, which is being fed directly into the national grid, will help to provide power to customers and further narrow the national power deficit.”

Mumamba Mwansa, Director of Valinor Investments Limited and COO Projects/Managing Partner at the Thebe Investment Management Group, said:

“Under Valinor, we invest in rural projects so that citizens can extract and enjoy the value of what their areas have to offer. Our feasibility studies showed how Mwandi could benefit from solar energy, and we are delighted to have partnered with Lunzua to make it happen. We are grateful to Senior Chief Mwandi, the Barotse Royal Establishment, the traditional leadership and local stakeholders for warmly welcoming our teams, and we look forward to working with SANY International (Zambia) through to completion.”

Crispin Mowa Zambwe, the Leashimba & Head of the Mwandi BRE Kuta said:

We are looking forward to the completion of the project. It will benefit the local community in terms of employment for our children. We promise to cooperate with the people working on the project.”

Mwilima Akakulubelwa, Chairperson of the Mwilima Multipurpose Cooperative, added:

“As a cooperative and as a family, we are happy with this solar plant because nothing like it has happened in our area before. We are grateful to our partners for a project that will change Mwandi’s economic outlook. Most residents here are fishermen, so an initiative that provides alternative employment will make a real difference to livelihoods.”

The project is a joint venture of Zambian companies. Lunzua is a subsidiary of the Zambia-anchored integrated end-to-end power value investor Exergy Energy Limited and Valinor is a subsidiary of Thebe Investment Management Group.

Sponsored by Kanona Energy