Zambia’s Minister of Energy Makozo Chikote officially inaugurated the construction of Phase I of the Cooma Solar Power Station in May 2025, marking a pivotal milestone in the country’s pursuit of energy security and low-carbon development.
The project emerges amid Zambia’s persistent power supply instability, which has long plagued regions with chronic outages, disrupting households, industries, and economic growth. As a cornerstone of Zambia’s “Gigawatt Power Initiative,” the Cooma plant will feature a 50MW solar capacity paired with a 20MW battery energy storage system (BESS). The infrastructure is designed to electrify tens of thousands of homes and stabilize the southern power grid.
Jointly developed by Turkey’s YEO Energy and Zambia’s GEI Power under a “Build-Operate-Transfer” (BOT) model, the project ensures professional execution and long-term operational reliability. Upon completion, it will supply electricity to state utility ZESCO via a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA), injecting vitality into Zambia’s energy mix. Turkish Ambassador to Zambia Barbaş underscored the strategic partnership: “Energy cooperation is a cornerstone of Türkiye-Zambia ties,” adding that the project strengthens bilateral relations while addressing Zambia’s energy deficits.
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has designated the Cooma initiative a “national priority,” targeting 1GW of new power capacity by 2025 to eradicate regional blackouts.
The plant’s integration of smart operations technology and BESS offers an innovative solution to Africa’s solar intermittency challenges. Expected to offset 80,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually, the project underscores Zambia’s commitment to low-carbon development across the continent.
