hydropower
ZAMBIA HYDROPOWER KEY FIGURES
| Share of Installed Capacity | Largest Station | Non-Hydro Target | 2024 Drought Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 80% | Kafue Gorge, 990 MW | 33.0% by target date | Generation cut sharply |
Hydroelectric plants supply over 80% of Zambia’s installed electricity generation capacity, led by ZESCO’s Kafue Gorge station at 990 megawatts and Kafue Gorge Lower at 750 megawatts, even as the 2024 drought exposed the risks of that dependence and pushed the government to target a 33.0% non-hydro renewable share.
National electricity generation fell sharply during the drought, with Kafue Gorge generating 3,187.35 gigawatt hours in 2024, down from 3,805.87 gigawatt hours in 2023, prompting a government diversification drive toward solar and thermal capacity.
Hydropower’s Dominant Share
Hydroelectric plants dominate Zambia’s generation mix at 82% of installed capacity[1]. ZESCO’s Kafue Gorge, at 990 megawatts, and Kafue Gorge Lower, at 750 megawatts, are the country’s two largest stations, followed by Kariba North Bank at 720 megawatts and its extension at 360 megawatts, and Victoria Falls at 108 megawatts[1]. Smaller ZESCO hydro stations include Lusiwasi and its upper extension, Musonda Falls, Lunzua River, Chishimba Falls and Shiwang’andu, and independent producers add further capacity through Itezhi-tezhi Power Corporation’s plant and Lunsenfwa Hydro Power Company’s Lunsemfwa and Mulungushi stations[1].
The 2024 Drought Shortfall
National electricity generation in the first half of 2024 totalled 8,113.02 gigawatt hours, down about 14.5% from 9,486.19 gigawatt hours in the first half of 2023[1]. The decline was concentrated at Zambia’s two largest stations: Kafue Gorge generated 3,187.35 gigawatt hours in 2024, down from 3,805.87 gigawatt hours in 2023, while Kafue Gorge Lower generated 1,547.54 gigawatt hours, down from 2,193.73 gigawatt hours[1].
Diversification Away from Hydro Dependence
The 2026 Budget Speech reported 125 megawatts of solar capacity already on the grid, with a further 1,500 megawatts expected within the following 12 months and 300 megawatts of new thermal capacity from the Maamba plant due in 2026, all aimed at lifting the non-hydro renewable share of generation to 33.0% from 3.0%[2].
Investment Opportunities
The 2024 drought’s exposure of hydropower concentration risk, alongside the government’s explicit 33.0% non-hydro renewable target, points to solar and thermal generation as the clearest near-term capacity addition opportunity, alongside the transmission and grid-integration capacity needed to absorb that new generation, detailed further on the dedicated Energy page[1][2].
Last Update: September 2026
