Managing the Power Deficit: Generation, the Grid, and Universal Access
Updated: Nov 5
Managing the Power Deficit Generation, the grid, and universal access
Zambia is moving in the right direction on generation. It is not yet moving far enough on delivery. Taken together with capacity
already planned, LUSAT hydrokinetics addresses the remaining supply deficiency, and LUSAT artificial intelligence and Internet
of Things systems provide the operational control required to manage the grid. The result is a reliable national infrastructure, extended to every part of the country.
WHAT HAS BEEN GAINED
Installed generation capacity has increased from approximately 3,100 MW in 2021 to about 4,576 MW in 2026. Solar capacity has risen from 88 MW to approximately 841 MW. National electricity access has improved from 34 percent to 56 percent, and
rural access from 8 percent to 34 percent. The 100 MW Maamba solar facility has commenced injection into the national grid.
These are material gains after the drought years. They are not yet universal supply.
THE CAPACITY GAP
The 10,000 MW objective is total installed generation, not a solar-only target. On the planned mix, the solar share is about 2,733
MW. Approximately 1,900 MW of additional solar is still required for that share. Against the system target, the remaining requirement is about 5,424 MW from all sources. Solar nameplate is not firm supply: output falls to zero at night and declines in rain and heavy cloud, including through the evening peak.
WHERE HYDROKINETICS FILLS THE GAP
LUSAT hydrokinetics generates from the flow of the river, without a new dam, and it does not depend on sunlight. Generation continues at night, in rain, and under cloud, for as long as the river runs. Placed on reaches that already flow, nearer to load, and interconnected with the solar and transmission works already planned, it adds firm megawatts toward the remaining system requirement and covers the hours additional solar cannot carry.
BENEFITS
No new reservoir. Modular siting on rivers already in flow. Firm supply when solar is unavailable. Shorter delivery to load, with less dependence on long transmission from a single dam. LUSAT artificial intelligence and Internet of Things systems monitor
solar output, river flow, load, and line condition, and shift supply from solar to hydrokinetic generation before a shortfall appears as an outage. Daytime solar and continuous hydrokinetic generation are managed as one supply.
Expenditure already made cannot be recovered. The task now is to strengthen the grid and extend reliable supply to every part of Zambia.
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