Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) has signed an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract worth USD 19.2 million with Sinohydro Corporation Zambia for the expansion of its Riverside Solar PV Plant.
The Riverside Solar Power Project is located near the Copperbelt University in Kitwe and became Zambia’s first grid-connected solar power plant when it was commissioned in April 2018.
Occupying an area of 1.1 hectares, the plant uses 3,864 modules rated at 270W each.
Upon completion, expected in November 2022, the company’s solar energy generating capacity will increase from 1MW to 34MW with an average annual energy output of 56.5GWh.
The project is part of CEC’s broader renewable agenda, enabling it to contribute to the global energy transition and the country’s efforts to diversify its power sources and make available reliable, sustainable and affordable electricity.
CEC’s Managing Director, Mr. Owen Silavwe, said: “CEC will continue to pursue projects that expand its value offering and that this bold and important step towards the expansion of its solar generating capacity reaffirms its strategic intent and focus to grow the business sustainably. Put together, the steps we are taking today to add solar energy to our portfolio will prove accretive to the key financial metrics of the company in the medium to long term.”
