Zambia’s commercial and industrial power users will gather in Lusaka in September to examine how manufacturers, mines and large buyers can combine utility supply with traders, self‑generation, storage and regional power options as grid constraints tighten.
The C&I Energy + Storage Summit Zambia, organised by VUKA Group and slated for 22-23 September, comes at a time when businesses are navigating a more complex electricity environment shaped by evolving market rules, limited transmission capacity and pressure to secure reliable, affordable power.
According to the organisers, speakers from national power utility ZESCO, the Energy Regulation Board and Copperbelt Energy Corporation will discuss reforms affecting open access, wheeling, tariff design and grid investment.
Industry representatives are expected to outline how shifting market conditions are influencing operational planning for mines and manufacturers.
These will include Emmanuel Kanchebele of the Association of Power Companies, economist and public policy analyst Kelvin Chisanga, Nyankutowa Chilanga of Chilanga Cement, Muntanga Lindunda of the Zambia Association of Manufacturers, and Chilala Kakoma-Boma of the Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre.
Large energy users are increasingly exploring diversified supply models that blend utility power with traders, embedded generation, battery storage and regional electricity markets.
These options promise greater resilience but introduce regulatory and contractual risks that require careful management.
A case study from Zambia Sugar will highlight lessons from its embedded generation expansion, including impacts on reliability and costs.
Financing challenges remain central to project development, with lenders demanding credible off‑takers, bankable power purchase agreements (PPAs), realistic revenue models and appropriate risk allocation.
Energy efficiency will also feature prominently, with workshops on process optimisation, digital monitoring and targeted upgrades, alongside masterclasses on tariff reform, bankable PPAs and diversified self‑generation strategies.
JN/APA