Univergy Solar is starting major solar power projects in Zambia

• Univergy International headquartered in Spain and Japan is planning to invest over $200 million in two photovoltaic projects in Zambia.

The new facilities will supplement the nation’s grid with 200 megawatt in 2020. This increased green power volume is likely to lessen load shedding throughout the country. 

Univergy group is going to install a 135 megawatt plant in the north of Zambia as well as a 65 megawatt plant in the Copperbelt. 

The renewables supplier is going to sign a MoU with Zambia to begin the projects development in the first three months of 2020. 

Both projects are predicted to last during six up to eight months. 

These forthcoming PV projects developed in cooperation with a Zambian firm are likely to provide hundreds of vacancies as well as opportunities for local solar businesses. 

Minister of Power and Energy is being forced to resign 

Head of Zambian opposition requires the current Minister of Energy to quit his position due to the failure to solve the problem of load shedding. 

The opposition states that Minister has lied of power import from Southern African and Mozambique power suppliers and consequently he has appeared an unsuccessful minister. 

Load losses are quite frequent and can last for ten hours at a time. 

Zambia’s energy sector consists mostly of hydropower. The electricity deficit amounts to approximately 750 megawatt. It is caused by lack of water at local power plants, which was a result of a heavy drought. 

The country has to decrease its economic development prediction to about 2% for the year 2019 compared to an earlier forecast of 4% because of the drought influence on agriculture and power industry. Around 70% of the local electricity need is driven by mining industry.