Kasempa Solar | Optimum Earth Engineering Limited

Project overview

Sized to the market. Shaped to the grid.

A 50 MWac / ~65 MWp plant on single-axis trackers, integrated with a 20 MW / 80 MWh battery system that shifts output into the evening peak, firms contracted delivery and supports voltage on the provincial network.

Capacity50 MW~65 MWp DC, bifacial, single-axis tracking

Battery storage80 MWh20 MW BESS for evening-peak delivery

Annual energy~125 GWhIndicative P50, subject to feasibility study

InvestmentUS$58-68mEstimated project cost

CO₂e avoided~100 kt/yrVersus thermal and diesel alternatives

Target operation2029Commercial operation date

Location & grid

At the head of the Zambia-DRC power export corridor.

Kasempa District sits on North-Western Province's transmission axis - the corridor that serves Zambia's largest copper and nickel operations and, through interconnection now in development, the mining loads of the DRC Copperbelt.

Mining demand on both sides of the border is growing faster than supply. Kasempa Solar delivers generation where that demand concentrates: serving district and provincial loads first, with export reach as the corridor expands.

DistrictKasempa, North-Western Province, Zambia (~13.46°S, 25.83°E)
Grid connectionOptions under study: the ZESCO Kasempa substation and the 330 kV Mumbwa-Kalumbila transmission corridor traversing the district
Evacuation pathNorth-Western Province network via the Kansanshi 330 kV node toward Kalumbila
Export routeKalumbila-Kolwezi 330 kV interconnector (in development, 700 MW capacity)
Offtake strategyLayered portfolio: mining anchor agreements, utility supply, district load, regional market
FrameworkZambia Electricity (Open Access) Regulations, 2024

Kasempa Solar in its grid and mining context. Transmission alignments are indicative pending survey; the site location reflects pre-feasibility screening. Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Development approach

Stage-gated. Transparently governed.

Every open assumption - from grid studies to community consent - is tracked in a hold register with a named closure activity, so partners, lenders and regulators can see exactly where the project stands.

Q2 2026 - CompleteMinistry of Energy engagement opened
Application for feasibility study authority lodged; ministerial response received confirming the private-development pathway.
Q3 2026 - CompletePre-feasibility report issued
Site envelopes screened, grid connection options defined, offtake architecture and indicative economics established.
Q3-Q4 2026 - In progressSite survey and community consent
Ground-truthing of candidate sites, traditional-authority engagement, and regulatory resubmission with surveyed coordinates.
2027Full feasibility study
Twelve-month solar measurement campaign, joint grid study with ZESCO, ESIA, land conversion, offtake term sheets and a bankable financial model.
2028Licensing, contracting and financial close
Generation licensing, power purchase agreements, EPC procurement and debt raising.
2029Construction and commercial operation

Sustainability & community

Shared value as contracted commitments.

Local employment first

A target of at least 90% Zambian construction workforce, with at least 60% recruited from Kasempa District through a transparent local employment desk - and Kasempa-first hiring for permanent operations roles.

Community development fund

An annual fund governed jointly with the Chiefdom and Kasempa Town Council, prioritising reliability for Mukinge Mission Hospital, water points and schools.

Environmental standards

The mitigation hierarchy - avoid, reduce, restore, compensate - applied from site selection onward, with full ESIA disclosure, a community grievance mechanism, and biodiversity management to IFC Performance Standards.

The developer

Optimum Earth Engineering Limited

Optimum Earth Engineering Limited (OEEL) is a majority Zambian-owned engineering and project development company, established in Zambia as part of the wider Optimum Earth Group, founded in Uganda more than a decade ago.

OEEL is a locally owned and locally established Zambian company, with Zambian ownership and leadership at the core of its operations. The company combines this local foundation with the technical expertise, project experience and multidisciplinary capabilities of the wider Optimum Earth Group.

The Group delivers Engineering, Project Management and Environmental Services, providing technical studies, engineering design, construction services and asset management solutions across East, Central and Southern Africa. Its regional experience spans Energy, Water & Sanitation, Mining, Transportation and Buildings, with project delivery experience in Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Burundi.

In Zambia, OEEL provides a platform for local participation in the development and delivery of major infrastructure and energy projects. The company is supported by engineers, geologists, environmental specialists and other technical professionals, combining local knowledge and relationships with regional and international project standards.

OEEL is building a long-term presence in Zambia, developing projects and partnerships across the energy and infrastructure sectors, including engagements with the Ministry of Energy and ZESCO Limited.

Development partners

The project is engaging feasibility funders, development-equity partners, offtakers and licensed traders. The pre-feasibility report is available to qualified parties under a confidentiality agreement.

Request the report

Local Ownership. Regional Expertise. Long-Term Commitment.

The Kasempa Solar Project is being developed by Optimum Earth Engineering Limited as part of the Group's growing renewable energy portfolio.

The project reflects OEEL's commitment to Zambian-led infrastructure development, bringing together local ownership, Zambian participation and regional engineering capability to deliver renewable energy infrastructure that creates lasting value for Zambia.

Reliable solar power for Africa's critical minerals corridor.