# ZESCO

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{{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](/source/Public_company)
| foundation    = 1970
| location      = [Lusaka](/source/Lusaka), Zambia
| num_employees = 3,600 (2007)
| revenue       = US$ 409 million (2017)
| industry      = Electricity Generation and Supply
| parent        = [State owned](/source/Public_company)
| homepage      = {{URL|https://www.zesco.co.zm}}
}}
'''ZESCO''' (acronym for '''Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited''') is a [state-owned](/source/state-owned) power company in [Zambia](/source/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](/source/Southern_African_Power_Pool).

== History ==
ZESCO was formed as Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited by the [National Assembly of Zambia](/source/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](/source/hydropower) with a combined potential capacity of 2,217.5 [MW](/source/Megawatt) and eight small [thermal power plants](/source/thermal_power) 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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Lusaka), the managing director of the National Utility ZESCO, Victor Mapani, announced that the company plans to deploy [Electric Vehicle](/source/Electric_vehicle) [(EV) charging](/source/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](/source/Power_outage).<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](/source/Kafue_Gorge_Lower_Power_Station), 750 MW
*[Kafue Gorge Upper](/source/Kafue_Gorge_Upper_Power_Station), 990 MW
*[Kariba North Bank](/source/Kariba_Power_Station), 720 MW
*[Kariba North Bank Extension](/source/Kariba_Power_Station), 360 MW
*[Victoria Falls](/source/Victoria_Falls_Power_Station), 108 MW
* [Itezhi-Tezhi Dam](/source/Itezhi-Tezhi_Dam), 120 MW
*[Maamba Collieries Thermal Power Station](/source/Maamba), 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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Economy_of_Zambia)
* [List of Zambian Companies](/source/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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{{zambia-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [ZESCO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZESCO) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZESCO?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.