Kafue Gorge is a 990 MW hydro power station in Lusaka, Zambia. It is operated by ZESCO. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 991k homes (estimated). It ranks #3 of 27 Zambia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1971, it is around 55 years old — an older, legacy facility. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 86.2% of Zambia's electricity; the national grid averages 120 gCO₂/kWh (87.5% low-carbon) (2024).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1000022.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000604052; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 990 MW, Kafue Gorge is well above the median hydro plant in Zambia (120 MW). Technically it is described as conventional storage. Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of Zambia hydro capacity
- 45.8% of 2,160 MW across 5 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 2 of 4 dated hydro plants in Zambia are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest hydro plants in Zambia
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by ZESCO. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a humid subtropical (dry winter) climate (Köppen Cwa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 15.8°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #1 largest hydro power plant of 5 in Zambia by capacity.
Zambia has 5 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 2,160 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Kafue · Solar · 47.5 MW · Lusaka
- Lusaka · Oil · 15 MW · Lusaka
- Nakambala Sugar · Biomass · 12.2 MW · Southern
- Kariba · Hydro · 930 MW · Mashonaland West
- Kariba Dam South Hydroelectric Power Station Zimbabwe · Hydro · 750 MW · Mashonaland West
- Chipepo power station · Coal · 1,000 MW · Central
Location
Coordinates -15.8089, 28.4199 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Kafue Gorge?
Kafue Gorge is a 990 MW hydro power plant in Lusaka, Zambia, commissioned in 1971.
Who operates Kafue Gorge?
Kafue Gorge is operated by ZESCO.