330kV Lusaka West–Kabwe Transmission Line Construction Progressing Across 141km Corridor

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]Government appreciates that steel towers are now rising across the Lusakaway corridor as Zesco Limited advances works on one of Zambia's major electricity backbone upgrades designed to move more power from south into the country's mining and industrial regions. The Lusaka West took care step down transmission project is a key grid enforcement and regional integration investment being implemented by Zesco Limited as government continues strengthening the infrastructure required to support Zambia's growing energy demand. Okay. Now this project is not about generation. It is about movement. electricity must travel reliably across the country.

[00:00:50]>> So the importance of this project is to increase the transmission capacity of the transmission from north to south uh so that we can uh increase the the the power transfer capacity of the transmission line. So far we have three transmission lines from from Lusaka to Cabway. Then we have four transmission lines from cow to the copper belt and two lines from from cow to Penso supplying about seven provinces. So the three lines as now are operating at full capacity and then there's need now to to increase the transmission capacity >> as Zambia expands mining industrial production and private sector power generation transmission infrastructure becomes just as important as the power plants themselves. That is exactly what this project is designed to address.

[00:02:00]Once completed, the 141 kilome 330 KV double circute transmission line will significantly strengthen electricity flow between southern Zambia and the copper belt in northwestern province where demand continues to rise because of mining expansion and industrial growth. Now listen to this. President Akinda has been direct about what was holding such projects back and what has changed. Speaking at the 2025 energy forum for Africa in Osaka, he explained the scale of the problem that the government had to change. Here is what he said. But you had to get the environmental assessment under ZMA to walk through that.

[00:02:49]You needed 25 months to get an approval to invest 20 megawatt.

[00:02:57]Now, if we in a shortage situation, when are we going to cover the gap? So part of the reforms we're doing, my message to this forum is that now you can get your approval on an assumption of presumptive approval. [clears throat] Presumptive approval at least 48 hours you get to approval. Now look at the difference. 25 months and 48 hours.

[00:03:26]If it's not happening, I want to hear participants in this forum to raise the flag so we can address that issue.

[00:03:35]>> For a transmission project of this scale, those kinds of approvals, botonics meant that projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars sat in bureaucratic queues for years before a single foundation was poured. Now the Lusaka West Tukawa transmission line contracted in June 2025 and already recording physical progress on the ground as you can see less than a year.

[00:04:02]It is a direct product of that regulatory transformation. When processes are cut, [clears throat] projects move and when projects move, electricity follows. This is important for Zambia's copper production ambitions. Higher copper output requires stable transmission capacity capable of moving large volumes of electricity efficiently into production zones. Okay.

[00:04:29]The [clears throat] project will also strengthen Zambia's participation in regional electricity trade through the Southern Africa power pool on the ground. Works are visibly progressing.

[00:04:39]As you can see, survey works and so investigations have been fully completed. Bush clearing has reached 75%. Access roads stand at 85% completion. Tower foundations have progressed to 40% and tower erection itself has now reached 22%. At Lusaka West substation back filling and equipment foundations are fully complete with equipment installation preparation to commence at cow step down substation.

[00:05:08]Foundation pouring and eing installations have also reached 100% completion ahead of equipment installation works. What communities are increasingly seeing along the corridor are concrete tower bases, new access routes and steel structures beginning to reshape the transmission network between Lusaka and the central province. Now the project scope includes 141 kilometers of 330 KV double circuit transmission line from Lusaka west substation to Kawei step down substation with optic fiber embedded for tele protection and communications telecommunications. It also includes the extension of the 330 KV bus at Lusaka West substation by two new transmission line equipped bays and the same extension at Kawway step down substation as Zambia continues expanding solar generation, hydropower recovery and private sector investment in energy.

[00:06:03]Projects like this one, this transmission line are becoming increasingly important because in the end, megawatts only matter if the power can move. The project also includes embedded optic fiber infrastructure within the transmission line itself.

[00:06:21]Strengthening telecommunication systems, monitoring and grid protection capabilities. More transmission capacity means fewer botonics. Fewer botx mean more reliable electricity movement.

[00:06:33]Reliable electricity movement supports mining industry and economic growth.

[00:06:38]Now, the 71.7 million United dollars project is being implemented by Sino Hydro Corporation Limited, a 24-month engineering, procurement, and construction contract running from June 2025 to June 2027. Seven.