112 MW Kusoka Solar Plant To Power Mines

Solarcentury Africa has announced a collaboration with First Quantum Minerals to develop the 112 MW Kusoka Solar Plant. The installation is intended to supply electricity to FQM's Trident mining operations, with the developer citing primary deliveries to the Sentinel copper and Enterprise nickel mines in Zambia's North-Western Province.

Solarcentury Africa will own and operate the Kusoka Solar Plant, and Istanbul-headquartered YEO has been appointed as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor. The developer is part of the BB Energy Group and will manage construction and long term operation under its merchant development plan.

The Kusoka Solar Plant is being developed on a merchant basis so it can sell to other organisations or into the network defined as the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP). The SAPP is an agreement between national electricity companies across Southern Africa creating a common power grid between the 12 participating countries and a common market for electricity sales and purchases; participating countries have 60.7 GW of generation capacity in operation, in excess of the 50.8 GW of peak demand, and Zambia has 224 MW more generation capacity in operation than peak demand while seven of the participating countries currently do not have the domestic capacity necessary to meet peak demand.

Jason de Carteret, CEO of Solarcentury Africa, said: "By combining generation tailored to FQMs operations with the flexibility of our merchant power model, we aim to help diversify its electricity supply."

Context for investors: 2025 saw the inauguration of Zambia's largest standalone Solar Plant, the 100 MW Kabwe Solar Plant, which is being constructed by PowerChina in the Central Province.