Cooma Solar Power Plant Secures IPPA, Marking Major Breakthrough in Zambia’s Renewable Energy Push
Livingstone, Zambia – 26 November – The Cooma Solar Power Plant—one of Zambia’s most significant upcoming renewable-energy developments—achieved a major milestone during the Zimbabwe–Zambia Energy Projects Summit in Livingstone with the signing of the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) between project developers GEI Power and YEO, and the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA).
The agreement strengthens investor confidence by providing policy stability, legal protection, and priority facilitation for key project processes, including permits, equipment importation, and access to incentives. With this signing, the 50 MW solar plant and its 20 MW battery energy storage system enter a new phase, paving the way for accelerated implementation and financial close.
Following the signing, project representatives discussed why Cooma is widely viewed as a transformative development for Zambia’s energy future.
1. Why is the Cooma Solar Power Plant a game-changer for Zambia’s energy security and green-growth trajectory?
“The Cooma Solar Power Plant is a turning point for Zambia because it answers two national priorities at the same time: reliable power today and a sustainable economy tomorrow. For years, Zambia has endured cycles of load shedding, drought impacts, and dependence on hydropower. Cooma brings a new kind of predictability, a diversified energy mix backed by a 20MW battery system that smooths out supply, even when the sun isn’t shining.
But it’s bigger than electricity. Cooma signals a Zambia that is serious about green growth. It’s an investment that creates jobs, stimulates rural development, strengthens the grid, and positions Zambia as a regional leader in clean-energy deployment. It proves that renewable energy is not just a climate solution, it’s an economic one.”
2. What role has the private sector played, and how has the partnership model strengthened the project’s viability?
“Cooma is what happens when local ambition meets global expertise. The private sector has carried this project from concept to bankability…
This blended partnership model has strengthened Cooma’s structure and ensured that it meets global standards while still being deeply rooted in Zambia’s development priorities.”
3. As the project moves toward construction and commissioning, what are the following critical milestones?
“We are entering the most exciting phase — where plans turn into steel, panels, and energy. The following milestones are clear…
With the level of coordination among partners, we see far more opportunity than risk.”
4. How does Cooma reflect Zambia’s growing investment ecosystem and the future of public-private collaboration?
“Cooma sends a strong message: Zambia is open, ready, and capable of delivering large-scale green-infrastructure projects…
Cooma proves that Zambia’s renewable-energy future will be built not by one actor but through public-private collaboration anchored in trust, transparency, and shared ambition.”
With the IPPA now in place, the Cooma Solar Power Plant stands positioned to advance rapidly, supporting Zambia’s energy security, industrial development, and regional leadership in renewable energy.
