Authors : Diana Simbotwe; Lusungu Ndovi

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 6 - June

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/y636ewkt

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/ja3d9669

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jun1948

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Zambia's electricity system remains critically dependent on hydropower, which accounts for over 80% of installed generation capacity, creating significant vulnerability to the climate-induced droughts that have intensified across Southern Africa. This study examines the role of utility-scale solar energy in advancing Zambia's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using the 100 MW Chisamba Solar Power Plant - commissioned in June 2025 as the largest grid-connected solar facility in Zambia and the biggest of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa outside South Africa - as a primary case study. Employing a mixedmethod case study design, the research draws on document review, policy analysis, secondary statistical data, and reported stakeholder evidence. Guided by Sustainable Development Theory and Energy Transition Theory, the study applies thematic analysis across four dimensions: energy security and diversification, socio-economic development, environmental sustainability, and policy and financing frameworks.

Keywords : Chisamba Solar Plant; Energy Transition; Renewable Energy; Sustainable Development Goals; SDG 7; Utility-Scale Solar; Zambia.

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