- Private sector project targets completion within one year ahead of government led interconnector.
- New link aims to stabilise power supply for Zambia copper mines and strengthen regional trade.
- Transmission line will connect Mwakibete in Tanzania with Nakonde in Zambia.
Zambian energy trader Kanona Power has announced plans to invest $100 million in a high voltage electricity transmission line linking Zambia and Tanzania, creating the first direct power connection between the two neighbouring countries.
The privately developed project is expected to be completed within approximately one year, potentially becoming operational well ahead of a larger World Bank financed inter-connector that is scheduled for completion around 2028. The new line will run between Mwakibete in southwestern Tanzania and Nakonde, a border town in northeastern Zambia.
Kanona Power said the project is designed to boost regional electricity trade, reduce supply shortages and improve grid stability in Zambia, particularly for the country’s copper mining sector. Zambia is Africa’s second largest copper producer, and its mines require between 50 MW and 150 MW of power per major complex.
Reliable electricity has become increasingly critical for the sector. Zambia remains heavily dependent on hydropower, and a severe drought in 2024 triggered the worst energy crisis in the country’s history, the effects of which are still being felt.
According to the company, the new transmission line will increase Zambia’s capacity to import power while also providing much needed redundancy for the national grid. This is expected to improve energy security and reduce the risk of future disruptions.
The project is intended to complement a government led Zambia Tanzania inter-connector currently under development, while also supporting the longer-term goal of completing a continuous electricity corridor linking southern and northern Africa from Cape Town to Cairo.
Government led inter-connector between Zambia and Tanzania. Image credit: World Bank
Interest in cross border power infrastructure is growing across the continent as countries seek to move electricity from regions with surplus generation to those facing persistent shortages. The World Bank has increased its support for such projects, including a high voltage transmission line connecting Uganda and Tanzania.
Tanzania is well positioned to export electricity following the full completion of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant in March 2025. The 2,115 MW facility on the Rufiji River is the largest hydropower project in East Africa and now supplies clean and reliable power to more than 60 million people across the country.
With Tanzania’s generation capacity expanding and Zambia’s demand rising, Kanona Power’s proposed transmission line could play a key role in strengthening regional energy integration and supporting industrial growth in southern and eastern Africa.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
