18 000 new households stand to benefit from a World Bank $75.5 million facility agreement with Zambia intended to expand electricity generation.

The money will help build smaller hydro power stations, transmission and distribution of power facilities.

Only 20% of Zambia’s 12 million population is connected to the national power grid, 3% of them in rural areas. The country needs up to $2 billion to meet growing power demand, and the government is hoping to provide electricity to 50% of the population by 2030.

The increasing demand for energy in the mineral rich country is attributed to the establishment of new copper mines and increased economic activity.

Zambia has up to 1 650 MW generation capacity but currently generates only 1 400 MW of power as a result of a breakdown of some equipment.