Zambia to build rare coal power plant as harsh drought hits dams

Zambia’s energy regulator approved the construction of the nation’s second coal-fired power plant, as its worst drought in decades cut output at the hydroelectric dams that account for most of its energy supply. The Energy Regulation Board awarded a construction permit for the 300 MW facility in the south of the nation, doubling the capacity of an existing plant at the site, it said in a statement Monday. Maamba Collieries, majority owned by Hyderabad, India-based Nava will lead the project.