Zambia’s Maamba Collieries will build it over two years starting in August, its local shareholder ZCCM-IH announced.

The country has been importing and rationing electricity after a drought hit hydropower generation, the main power source for Africa’s second-largest copper producer.

“The project’s total cost is estimated at $400 million, with a consortium of debt investors financing about $300 million,” the statement said.

The new power plant will consist of two 150 MW generating units, identical to the existing plant, increasing the total number of units to four.