A Zambian electricity trader is proposing a $100 million investment in a high-voltage transmission line that would directly connect Zambia to neighbouring Tanzania, creating the first power link between the two countries and easing supply pressures on Zambia’s copper mining sector.
Kanona Power Co. said the planned transmission line could be completed within a year, potentially becoming operational ahead of a larger World Bank–supported regional interconnector designed to complete the power grid corridor stretching from Cape Town to Cairo, according to a Bloomberg report.
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The project comes as reliable electricity supply becomes increasingly vital for Zambia’s copper industry, the second-largest producer of the metal in Africa.
Zambia relies heavily on hydropower, and a severe drought in 2024 triggered the country’s worst power crisis on record, the effects of which are still being felt.
Kanona said its proposed line would complement an existing government-led interconnection project being developed jointly by Zambia and Tanzania.
The new infrastructure would boost Zambia’s capacity to import electricity while adding redundancy to the national grid, improving stability and reducing the risk of outages.
A company spokesperson said the line would strengthen the grid and help secure long-term power supply.
Interest in cross-border electricity infrastructure is growing across Africa, as countries look to move power from surplus regions to areas facing chronic shortages.
In 2025, the World Bank committed funding to a high-voltage transmission line linking Uganda and Tanzania as part of broader regional integration efforts.
Kanona’s planned line would run between Mwakibete in southwestern Tanzania and Nakonde, a border town in northeastern Zambia.
Founded in 2023, the company has quickly emerged as a notable electricity trader in Zambia’s power market.
Meanwhile, the rival Zambia–Tanzania interconnector backed by $245 million in World Bank financing has been under development for more than a decade and is expected to begin operations around 2028.
