Zubalight Energy: Utility-Scale Solar, Zambia

Flagship Project

Makombe Solar Plant, Chibombo District

A 50 MWac grid-connected solar PV plant on flat, previously-cropped commercial farmland between Lusaka and Kabwe, with pre-feasibility complete and a confirmed grid interconnection pathway.

Solar PV · Central Province

Makombe Solar Plant

Pre-Feasibility Complete · Seeking Co-Development Partner

Up to 100 hectares secured by agreement with the landowner on the Makombe Farms estate, with frontage to the Great North Road and the 330 kV North-South transmission backbone adjacent. Tier-1 bifacial modules on fixed-tilt mounting.

Capacity50 MWac (~60 MWp DC)

LocationMakombe Farms, Chibombo District

LandUp to 100 ha, array ~55 ha

GridExisting substation ~14 km by road

Off-takeMining / SAPP / ZESCO

Power transformer at a candidate interconnection substation — Power transformer, candidate substation

Makombe Phase 2

Pipeline

A second phase of roughly 100 MW on further estate land, building on Phase 1 infrastructure and confirmed grid headroom.

~100 MW

Indicative capacity

Same estate

Makombe Farms

Estate Expansion Pipeline

Land Bank

Preferential access to the wider Makombe Farms estate of approximately 1,300 hectares of flat commercial farmland.

500+ MW

Expansion potential

~1,300 ha

Estate land

Grid Interconnection

A confirmed pathway to the grid

A preliminary grid assessment led by our CTO, a former ZESCO Director of Distribution & Supply, identified candidate substation termination points within ~14 km of the site by road.

Substation yard with transformer bays under a blue sky — Chibombo MFEZ 33/11 kV substation

Outdoor switchgear bays at a candidate substation — Switchgear bays, candidate substation

Site Context

Between Lusaka and Kabwe, beside the 330 kV backbone

330 kV

North-South transmission backbone runs adjacent to the site, with bidirectional evacuation toward the Copperbelt and Lusaka

~14 km

By road to an existing substation; line route and voltage set by the Grid Impact Study

100 MW

Grid headroom confirmed, comfortably accommodating the 50 MWac plant and Phase 2

Why Zambia

A compelling solar market

Fast-growing power demand, an exceptional solar resource, and an Open Access framework that lets independent producers sell directly to large private off-takers.

~10,000 MW by 2030

Zambia's generation target, well above today's ~4,000 MW installed, driven by rising industrial and mining demand and the need to diversify a hydro-dependent grid.

~2,000 MW for mining

Additional power needed for the country's 3-million-tonne copper production target, with mining accounting for over 70% of exports.

SI 40 of 2024

Open Access regulations allow licensed IPPs of 1 MW or more to wheel power across the grid directly to large private off-takers.

Our Approach

A hybrid, USD-anchored off-take strategy

Three tiers of off-take maximise hard-currency revenue, anchored by a regulated PPA with the national utility, underpinning revenue visibility across the plant's 25-year operating life.

1

Primary

Open Access wheeling to mining off-takers

USD-denominated corporate PPAs with creditworthy mining off-takers, wheeled across the grid under SI No. 40 of 2024.

2

Secondary

Regional market trading via GreenCo

Competitive trading into the Southern African Power Pool, providing a liquid, USD-based secondary channel for uncontracted output.

3

Foundation

A regulated PPA with ZESCO

A regulated PPA with the national utility anchors the revenue stack, ensuring every megawatt-hour generated has a committed buyer.

The project is structured for bankability: Tier-1 equipment, an ESIA scoped to IFC Performance Standards, and a retained Zambian equity position that qualifies the project company as citizen-empowered under the Citizens Economic Empowerment Act.

Team

Built by people who know Zambia's grid

A founding team combining three decades of national utility leadership, 40 years of HV substation construction, legal and regulatory depth, and commercial strategy.