{{Short description|Zambian national electricity company}} {{For|the Zambian football team|ZESCO United F.C.}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}} {{Update|date=June 2014}} {{Infobox company | name = Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited | logo = Zesco_Logo.jpg | type = Public | foundation = 1970 | location = Lusaka, Zambia | num_employees = 3,600 (2007) | revenue = US$ 409 million (2017) | industry = Electricity Generation and Supply | parent = State owned | homepage = {{URL|https://www.zesco.co.zm}} }} '''ZESCO''' (acronym for '''Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited''') is a state-owned power company in Zambia. It is Zambia's largest power company, producing approximately 80% of the country's electricity consumption. Additionally, ZESCO represents Zambia in the Southern African Power Pool.
== History == ZESCO was formed as Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited by the National Assembly of Zambia in December 1969. It took over responsibilities from several municipalities and the three existing utilities: Victoria Falls Power Board, Central Electricity Corporation, and Northern Electricity Supply Corporation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Makai |first=Eugene |date=2024-08-26 |title=SNAPSHOT IN HISTORY – ZESCO, ITS HISTORY AND THE CURRENT POWER SITUATION |url=https://zambianobserver.com/snapshot-in-history-zesco-its-history-and-the-current-power-situation/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=The Zambian Observer |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Operations== The company operates nine hydropower stations with a combined potential capacity of 2,217.5 MW and eight small thermal power plants with a combined potential capacity of 11.3 MW, resulting in a total of 2,228.8 MW. Due to poor maintenance and substandard practices, these capacities are not achieved.<ref>{{cite report |title=Energy Sector Report 2014 |publisher=Energy Regulation Board, Zambia |date=2015 |url=http://www.erb.org.zm/reports/EnergySectorReport2014.pdf}}</ref>
Moreover, the company also owns and operates power distribution and transmission lines of 9,975 km.
ZESCO has formed power purchase agreements with private companies that own power plants in Zambia. It purchases the power produced and feeds part of it into the national grid, with a larger portion resold to neighboring countries. GL Africa Energy provides the national grid through ZESCO with over 105 MW of power under this agreement.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201604291134.html|title=Zambia: Ndola Energy Project to Expand|last=Kangali|first=Chatula|date=2016-04-29|work=The Times of Zambia (Ndola)|access-date=2017-07-07}}</ref>
ZESCO owns 40% shares in EL Sewedy Electric Zambia Limited.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=27 April 2022 |title=zesco-receives-2m-dividend-from-el-sewedy-electric |url=https://zambiadispatch.com/economy/zesco-receives-2m-dividend-from-el-sewedy-electric/ |access-date=28 April 2022 |website=zambiadispatch.com }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In June 2022, ZESCO signed a 13-year Bulk Supply Agreement (BSA) with Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) Plc. The power supply limit under the BSA was set at 380MW. ZESCO estimated that it will earn an estimated US$150.0 million per annum from the agreement. These earnings are expected to translate into an estimated US$2.0 billion over the lifetime of the BSA.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=11 July 2022 |title=zesco-to-earn-2bn-from-cec-deal |url=http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/zesco-to-earn-2bn-from-cec-deal/ |url-status=dead |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=daily-mail.co.zm |archive-date=13 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713143715/http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/zesco-to-earn-2bn-from-cec-deal/ }}</ref>
In July 2022, at the 94th [https://acsz.co.zm/ Agricultural and Commercial Show] in Lusaka, the managing director of the National Utility ZESCO, Victor Mapani, announced that the company plans to deploy Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations across the country in an effort to accelerate and promote the transition to EVs and enhance carbon emission reduction.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kalonda |first=Fanny |date=30 July 2022 |title=zesco-to-deploy-ev-charging-stations-in-many-towns-mapani |url=https://zambianobserver.com/zesco-to-deploy-ev-charging-stations-in-many-towns-mapani/ |access-date=31 July 2022 |website=zambianobserver.com}}</ref>
In November 2024, Zambia experienced several nationwide blackouts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mwarumbwa |first=Danai |date=2024-11-28 |title=More power setbacks for Zambia, Zimbabwe |url=https://www.cajnewsafrica.com/2024/11/28/more-power-setbacks-for-zambia-zimbabwe/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=CAJ News Africa |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2024, ZESCO reported losses of K5.1 million from infrastructure vandalism and K7.46 million in property damage in December alone.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ZESCO Reports K5.1 Million Loss Due to Infrastructure Vandalism |url=https://www.zambiamonitor.com/zesco-reports-k5-1-million-loss-due-to-infrastructure-vandalism/ |access-date=2025-08-11}}</ref> The country also faced prolonged load-shedding, initially promising seven hours of daily power supply, which was later reduced to five hours by mid-2025 due to the shutdown of a Maamba generator.<ref>{{Cite news |title=ZESCO increases load-shedding after Maamba generator shutdown |url=https://diggers.news/local/2025/06/25/zesco-increases-load-shedding-by-2-hours-after-shut-down-of-maamba-generator/ |access-date=2025-08-11}}</ref> To address power shortages, ZESCO commissioned the 100 MW Chisamba Solar Power Plant in June 2025 and signed PPAs totaling 332 MWp with independent producers for completion by 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ZESCO signs 332 MWp solar PPAs |url=https://zesco.co.zm/zesco_signs_ppas.php |access-date=2025-08-11}}</ref>
==Power stations== {{Further|List of power stations in Zambia}} *Kafue Gorge Lower, 750 MW *Kafue Gorge Upper, 990 MW *Kariba North Bank, 720 MW *Kariba North Bank Extension, 360 MW *Victoria Falls, 108 MW * Itezhi-Tezhi Dam, 120 MW *Maamba Collieries Thermal Power Station, 300 MW
==Limitations== The national grid in Zambia only extends to some parts of the country. For example, it ends {{convert|380|km|mi}} from the Ikelenge area around Kalene Hill in the extreme northwest. As of 2008, ZESCO had no plans to provide power to this remote area due to an increase in shareholder allotments. In response, some small-scale private operations have been established, such as the Zengamina 700 KW hydroelectric generator.<ref name=NWZDT>{{cite web |url=http://www.nwzdt.org/?page_id=22 |title=Zengamina Hydro Project |publisher=North West Zambia Development Trust |access-date=2011-12-16 |archive-date=23 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423080555/http://www.nwzdt.org/?page_id=22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Energy Regulation Board is encouraging private investment in hydroelectric power generation in view of the power deficit.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.erb.org.zm/press/publications/newsletters/NL-2rd-2008.pdf |journal=The Energy Regulator |year=2008|edition=SECOND |title=ERB Approves Zengamina Tariffs |access-date=2011-12-16}}</ref> For example, ZESCO has partnered with SinoHydro, a state-run hydropower company in China, to expand Zambia's power grid.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last1=Mafa |first1=Charles |last2=Mathiason |first2=Nick |date=June 26, 2022 |title=Zambia's Sovereign Debt Crisis: How Foreign Creditors Have All the Power over Country's Economic Recovery |url=https://www.financeuncovered.org/stories/zambia-sovereign-debt-crisis-zesco-economic-recovery |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922185913/https://www.financeuncovered.org/stories/zambia-sovereign-debt-crisis-zesco-economic-recovery |archive-date=September 22, 2023 |access-date=May 13, 2024 |website=Finance Uncovered}}</ref>
One-third of Zambia's US$9.7 billion in debt is owed to China, raising concerns the country will have to yield control of ZESCO to China.<ref name=":72">{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2018 |title=Zambia Denies White House Claim China Taking over Power Utility |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zambia-economy-idUSKBN1OE0LD |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108005844/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zambia-economy-idUSKBN1OE0LD |archive-date=November 8, 2023 |access-date=May 13, 2024 |website=Reuters}}</ref> Amos Chanda, a spokesman for the Zambian President, refuted such claims by U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton in 2018, stating ZESCO is by no means collateral for Zambia's debt to China.<ref name=":72" /> Nonetheless, many remain critical of ZESCO's borrowing practices, citing associated debt as a potential risk to Zambian sovereignty.<ref name=":43">{{Cite web |last1=Mafa |first1=Charles |last2=Mathiason |first2=Nick |date=June 26, 2022 |title=Zambia's Sovereign Debt Crisis: How Foreign Creditors Have All the Power over Country's Economic Recovery |url=https://www.financeuncovered.org/stories/zambia-sovereign-debt-crisis-zesco-economic-recovery |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922185913/https://www.financeuncovered.org/stories/zambia-sovereign-debt-crisis-zesco-economic-recovery |archive-date=September 22, 2023 |access-date=May 13, 2024 |website=Finance Uncovered}}</ref>
== See also ==
* Economy of Zambia * List of Zambian Companies * {{cite news |title=ZESCO to increase electricity tariffs with effect from 1st July 2014 |url=http://lusakavoice.com/2014/06/02/zesco-to-increase-electricity-tariffs-by-24-percent/}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.zesco.co.zm/ ZESCO Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016060504/http://www.zesco.co.zm/ |date=16 October 2008 }}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Electric power companies of Zambia Category:Non-renewable resource companies established in 1970 Category:1970 establishments in Zambia
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