By Derrick Silimina
The Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) has received an Excellence Award from the Engineering Institute of Zambia (EIZ) at the ongoing EIZ Annual Conference that is being held in Livingstone from 20th – 22nd April 2023.
In a statement, CEC Advisor – Public Relations Pamela Singala Mupoti said the award is in recognition of the energy company’s contribution to engineering innovation through its Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) project for the expansion of its 1 Megawatt (MW) Riverside Solar PV Plant located in Kitwe to 34 Megawatt (MW).
“With increased investor confidence in Zambia, more investment in the energy sector is needed and CEC is ready to make the necessary investments to ensure customer satisfaction,” CEC Managing Director Owen Silavwe said.
Silavwe said the Corporation is elated to receive the award and is committed to providing reliable power to its customers on the Copperbelt to assist the government meet its target of 3-million tons of copper production in the next decade.
On 28th October 2022, Copperbelt Energy Corporation PLC (“CEC” or “the Group”) incorporated a new subsidiary named CEC Renewables Limited (“CEC Renewables”).
Silavwe noted that as a wholly owned business, CEC Renewables is dedicated to green energy initiatives, specifically developing, and integrating renewable energy sources such as solar and wind into the CEC power generation and sourcing strategy.
He has emphasised that CEC Renewables’ newest project is the recently commissioned 33.15MWp Riverside Solar PV Plant by President Hakainde Hichilema on 15th February 2023.
Silavwe further hinted that CEC Renewables also plans a second solar project—the Itimpi Solar Development Project-Phase I.
“This greenfield utility scale 60MWp solar PV facility will be situated in Kitwe’s outskirt area of Garneton on 80 hectares of land, with completion projected to be in the fourth quarter of 2023,” he stated.
