The African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed US$1 million to fund feasibility studies for a floating solar power project on Lake Kariba, as Zambia and Zimbabwe seek to strengthen energy resilience amid climate-related disruptions to hydropower generation.
The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) plans to install an initial 2,000 floating solar photovoltaic panels on the Kariba Dam, supplementing output from the Kariba North Power Plant, which has been affected by prolonged drought and reduced water levels.
Speaking at the 43rd Ordinary Meeting of the ZRA Council of Ministers in Victoria Falls, Zambia’s Energy Minister and outgoing council chairperson, Makozo Chikote, said the project would complement existing hydropower capacity and help mitigate climate variability.
“The project will enhance energy security by diversifying power generation at Kariba,” Chikote said, welcoming the AfDB’s support.
He reaffirmed Zambia and Zimbabwe’s commitment to joint investments in power generation and transmission infrastructure to boost resilience, regional integration and electricity trade.
Chikote identified the proposed Batoka Gorge Hydroelectric Scheme, with a planned capacity of 2,400 megawatts, as a priority bilateral project, describing it as a transformative investment expected to support industrialisation, job creation and economic growth in both countries.
He also highlighted the importance of regional transmission projects, including the Zimbabwe–Zambia–Botswana–Namibia (ZIZABONA) Phase I interconnector, which is expected to ease transmission bottlenecks and strengthen power trading within the Southern African Power Pool.
On infrastructure safety, Chikote said rehabilitation works at the Kariba Dam were progressing, with plunge pool reshaping completed in 2024, Phase I of spillway refurbishment finalised in November 2025, and Phase II works currently 30 percent complete.
Incoming chairperson of the ZRA Council of Ministers and Zimbabwe’s Energy Minister, July Moyo, praised the authority’s management of the shared water resource despite difficult hydrological conditions.
Zambia has formally handed over the rotating chairmanship of the ZRA Council of Ministers to Zimbabwe.
