Kariba is a 930 MW hydro power station in Mashonaland West, Zambia. It is operated by ZESCO. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 931k homes (estimated). It ranks #4 of 27 Zambia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1959, it is around 67 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 WRI1000021.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Capacity provenance
The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 2,130 MW for Kariba Dam hydroelectric plant, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000604110; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 930 MW, Kariba 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
- 43.1% of 2,160 MW across 5 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 1 of 4 dated hydro plants in Zambia is 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 tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 16.5°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 #2 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
- Kariba Dam South Hydroelectric Power Station Zimbabwe · Hydro · 750 MW · Mashonaland West
- Kafue Gorge · Hydro · 990 MW · Lusaka
- Kafue · Solar · 47.5 MW · Lusaka
- Nakambala Sugar · Biomass · 12.2 MW · Southern
- Sengwa power station · Coal · 2,800 MW · Midlands
Location
Coordinates -16.5222, 28.7619 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Kariba?
Kariba is a 930 MW hydro power plant in Mashonaland West, Zambia, commissioned in 1959.
Who operates Kariba?
Kariba is operated by ZESCO.