Originally published on EITI, October 29, 2025.
Zambia has bold ambitions for its mining sector. The government aims to increase copper production to three million metric tonnes per year by 2031 – nearly four times the 2024 level. It plans to expand mineral exploration, mining, processing and the domestic supply of goods and services to the industry. Achieving these goals hinges on a reliable supply of electricity.
But there’s a challenge: Zambia’s power grid is struggling to keep pace with demand. Mining already consumes around half of the electricity supplied by the state-owned power company, ZESCO. The energy sector relies heavily on hydropower, and frequent droughts make supply unreliable. Many mining companies are importing more expensive power from abroad, while others are turning to independent power producers to fill the domestic shortfall. Meanwhile, only about half of Zambia’s population has access to electricity, and power outages frequently disrupt essential services like healthcare and education.
Read the full piece here.