136MW Itimpi Phase 2 Solar Power Plant Commissioned on the Copperbelt

President Hichilema commissioned the Itimpi Phase 2 Solar Power Plant in Kitwe, Copperbelt Province, on 30 April 2026. The 136-megawatt facility, developed by Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) Renewables, brought the total generation capacity at the Itimpi site to 196 megawatts, following the commissioning of the 60-megawatt Phase 1 project in April 2024. The plant is expected to generate approximately 275 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. Speaking at the commissioning, President Hichilema urged continued effort to close the power supply gap and achieve sufficiency so that Zambia can reclaim its electricity export market. He emphasised that sufficient power is vital for productivity and industrial growth, noting that the mining sector alone would require more than 8,000 megawatts to produce the targeted 3 million metric tonnes of copper.