Public draft · claims are still being checked · how we check sources
Ideas · Regional power trade
Reform · Zambia

Electricity open access to transmission and distribution networks

Record ZMB-R-0001 · draft, not yet reviewed by a person

Status by track

LegalIn force · 2024sources checked 10 Oct 2026
  • Statement · 27 Dec 2019
    "Date of Assent: 27th December, 2019"; s.1: the Act comes into operation "on the date appointed by the Minister by statutory instrument"; s.2: "open access" means "the availability of spare transmission or distribution capacity to any qualifying participant ... on nondiscriminatory terms and conditions"; s.52(2)(m) provides for regulations on an "open access framework" "Date of Assent: 27th December, 2019"; s.1: the Act comes into operation "on the date appointed by the Minister by statutory instrument"; s.2: "open access" means "the availability of spare transmission or distribution capacity to any qualifying participant ... on nondiscriminatory terms and conditions"; s.52(2)(m) provides for regulations on an "open access framework"Electricity Act No. 11 of 2019 · date of assent; s.1; s.2; s.52(2)(m) · 27 Dec 2019wording checked against the document
    Electricity Act No. 11 of 2019 · date of assent; s.1; s.2; s.52(2)(m) · wording checked against the document
  • Statement · 2024
    "Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 40 of 2024: The Electricity (Open Access) Regulations." "Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 40 of 2024: The Electricity (Open Access) Regulations."2025 Energy Sector Report · p.xvi, key regulations · 2024wording checked against the document
    2025 Energy Sector Report · p.xvi, key regulations · wording checked against the document
  • Statement · 6 Feb 2020
    "The Electricity Act, 2019, shall come into operation on the date of publication of this Order." Dated "6th February, 2020"; signed by the Minister of Energy "The Electricity Act, 2019, shall come into operation on the date of publication of this Order." Dated "6th February, 2020"; signed by the Minister of EnergyElectricity Act (Commencement) Order, 2020 (Statutory Instrument No. 15 of 2020) · para. 2; date and signature · 6 Feb 2020not yet checked by a personChecked by machine match on the editor's PC, 18 Oct 2026: word for word (docs/quote-machine-match-2026-10-18.md); not yet checked by a person
    Electricity Act (Commencement) Order, 2020 (Statutory Instrument No. 15 of 2020) · para. 2; date and signature · not yet checked by a person
Not established
  • Text of SI 40 of 2024 not yet read; its date and contents rest on the ERB's listing.
  • The Act's exact commencement date. The Order took effect on publication; the Statutory Instruments issue carrying it is dated 21 February 2020, but the publication date itself has not been read.
RulesConsulted · Aug 2025sources checked 16 Oct 2026

Market guidelines and pricing methodology approved in 2025; seven operational drafts consulted in August 2025; subsequent adoption not verified.

  • Electricity open access framework (launch) · 14 Feb 2025
    on 14 February 2025 the Minister of Energy "OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED THE ELECTRICITY OPEN ACCESS" framework on 14 February 2025 the Minister of Energy "OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED THE ELECTRICITY OPEN ACCESS" frameworkEnd of year press statement by the ERB Director-General · p.2 · 14 Feb 2025wording checked against the document
    End of year press statement by the ERB Director-General · p.2 · wording checked against the document
  • Electricity Open Access Market Guidelines · 2025
    "During the period under review and in line with the Electricity (Open Access) Regulations, Statutory Instrument (S.I.) No. 40 of 2024, the ERB approved Electricity Open Access Market Guidelines and the Electricity Open Access Transmission and Distribution Pricing Methodology." No approval day is given. "During the period under review and in line with the Electricity (Open Access) Regulations, Statutory Instrument (S.I.) No. 40 of 2024, the ERB approved Electricity Open Access Market Guidelines and the Electricity Open Access Transmission and Distribution Pricing Methodology." No approval day is given.2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · 2025wording checked against the document
    2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · wording checked against the document
  • Open access transmission and distribution pricing methodology · 2025
    approved in the same sentence as the Market Guidelines (quoted above); no approval day is given approved in the same sentence as the Market Guidelines (quoted above); no approval day is given2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · 2025wording checked against the document
    2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · wording checked against the document
  • System Operator licence (variation) and ZESCO trading licence as Public Service Trader · 2025
    "the ERB has also issued the Notice of Variation to the System Operator licence to accommodate new functions of the System Operator in S.I. 40 of 2024. A new trading licence for ZESCO as the designated Public Service Trader under the new Market Structure was approved." "the ERB has also issued the Notice of Variation to the System Operator licence to accommodate new functions of the System Operator in S.I. 40 of 2024. A new trading licence for ZESCO as the designated Public Service Trader under the new Market Structure was approved."2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · 2025wording checked against the document
    2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · wording checked against the document
  • Open access transmission and distribution pricing methodology
    "THE ERB DEVELOPED THE OPEN ACCESS TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION PRICING METHODOLOGY." "THE ERB DEVELOPED THE OPEN ACCESS TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION PRICING METHODOLOGY."End of year press statement by the ERB Director-General · p.2wording checked against the document
    End of year press statement by the ERB Director-General · p.2 · wording checked against the document
  • Seven operational documents: Trading Guidelines; System Operator Guidelines; Plant and Equipment Outage Procedure (Annexure A1); Metering and Data Management Procedure (Annexure A4); Balancing Mechanism (Annexure A3); Balancing Agreement (Annexure B2); Participation Agreement · 11 Aug 2025
    drafts out for stakeholder comment from 11 August 2025, deadline "Sunday, 24th August 2025" drafts out for stakeholder comment from 11 August 2025, deadline "Sunday, 24th August 2025"Invitation for stakeholder feedback on draft open access documents · consultation notice · 11 Aug 2025wording checked against the document
    Invitation for stakeholder feedback on draft open access documents · consultation notice · wording checked against the document
  • The same seven operational documents · 2025
    the seven documents "were drafted and underwent extensive stakeholder consultations" in 2025 the seven documents "were drafted and underwent extensive stakeholder consultations" in 20252025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · 2025wording checked against the document
    2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · wording checked against the document
  • The same seven operational documents · target: 2026
    "These consultations will continue into 2026" (a forward statement; no 2026 consultation was found in the sources read) "These consultations will continue into 2026" (a forward statement; no 2026 consultation was found in the sources read)2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · target: 2026wording checked against the document
    2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · wording checked against the document
Not established
  • Whether any of the seven operational documents has been adopted. The Energy Sector Report (published 28 May 2026) says consultations would continue into 2026; it reports no adoption, which is not the same as reporting that none occurred. No adoption was found in the ERB's 2025 Annual Report (printed p.31, s.8.4(b)), the Director-General's December 2025 statement, or ERB news pages to October 2026.
DeliveryPartly operating · 2025sources checked 10 Oct 2026
  • application portal
    live online application for long-, medium- or short-term access live online application for long-, medium- or short-term accessApplication for open access (online form) · online formparaphrase, not a quotation
    Application for open access (online form) · online form · paraphrase, not a quotation
  • trading licences issued · 2025
    "Trading of Electricity" licences issued: 4 in 2025, 5 in 2024 "Trading of Electricity" licences issued: 4 in 2025, 5 in 2024ERB 2025 Annual Report · Table 2-2, p.7 · 2025wording checked against the document
    ERB 2025 Annual Report · Table 2-2, p.7 · wording checked against the document
  • network access applications · 2025
    "the transmission and distribution network service providers comprising ZESCO, CEC and NWEC launched the open access application digital platforms" "the transmission and distribution network service providers comprising ZESCO, CEC and NWEC launched the open access application digital platforms"2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · 2025wording checked against the document
    2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.1.4, printed p.36 / PDF p.57 · wording checked against the document
  • wheeling and system operation agreements approved · 2025
    Table 3-2 counts 7 Wheeling Agreements and 5 System Operations Agreements among the 135 agreements the ERB approved in 2025. Appendix 1 lists all twelve with ZESCO as one party; the wheeling agreements total 435.00 MW of contracted capacity (Gouli 135.00; six others 50.00 each) and the system operation agreements 250.00 MW Table 3-2 counts 7 Wheeling Agreements and 5 System Operations Agreements among the 135 agreements the ERB approved in 2025. Appendix 1 lists all twelve with ZESCO as one party; the wheeling agreements total 435.00 MW of contracted capacity (Gouli 135.00; six others 50.00 each) and the system operation agreements 250.00 MW2025 Energy Sector Report · Table 3-2, printed p.35 / PDF p.56; Appendix 1, printed p.76 / PDF p.97 · 2025wording checked against the document
    2025 Energy Sector Report · Table 3-2, printed p.35 / PDF p.56; Appendix 1, printed p.76 / PDF p.97 · wording checked against the document
  • trader sales · 2025
    GreenCo's 2025 sales total "572.12 GWh": "14.33 GWh" in "SAPP Competitive Market Sales" and "557.79 GWh" in "Domestic Client Sales" GreenCo's 2025 sales total "572.12 GWh": "14.33 GWh" in "SAPP Competitive Market Sales" and "557.79 GWh" in "Domestic Client Sales"2025 Energy Sector Report · Table 3-10 "GreenCo Monthly Electricity Sales (GWh) in 2025", printed p.49 / PDF p.70 · 2025wording checked against the document
    2025 Energy Sector Report · Table 3-10 "GreenCo Monthly Electricity Sales (GWh) in 2025", printed p.49 / PDF p.70 · wording checked against the document
  • trader purchases by channel · 2025
    GreenCo's 2025 purchases total 737.86 GWh as stated: SAPP market 259.38, Chisamba Solar PV 115.63, bilateral imports 24.37, and "Emergency Imports via ZESCO" 338.37 (the four columns sum to 737.75). The table does not say which access arrangement each channel used. Its stated challenges include that "the company relied on limited emergency imports" (s.3.2.5.8.4) GreenCo's 2025 purchases total 737.86 GWh as stated: SAPP market 259.38, Chisamba Solar PV 115.63, bilateral imports 24.37, and "Emergency Imports via ZESCO" 338.37 (the four columns sum to 737.75). The table does not say which access arrangement each channel used. Its stated challenges include that "the company relied on limited emergency imports" (s.3.2.5.8.4)2025 Energy Sector Report · Table 3-9 "GreenCo Monthly Electricity Purchases (GWh)", printed p.49 / PDF p.70 · 2025wording checked against the document
    2025 Energy Sector Report · Table 3-9 "GreenCo Monthly Electricity Purchases (GWh)", printed p.49 / PDF p.70 · wording checked against the document
  • cross-border imports by independent traders · 2025
    Figure 3-6 shows 2025 imports of 278,760 MWh (GreenCo), 485,628 (Kanona), 686,671 (CEC) and 2,119,698 (ZESCO). The text says "IPTs undertook imports totalling 278.76GWh from Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (686.67GWh), Kanona Power Company Limited (485.63GWh) and GreenCo Power Services Limited (278.76 GWh)" Figure 3-6 shows 2025 imports of 278,760 MWh (GreenCo), 485,628 (Kanona), 686,671 (CEC) and 2,119,698 (ZESCO). The text says "IPTs undertook imports totalling 278.76GWh from Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (686.67GWh), Kanona Power Company Limited (485.63GWh) and GreenCo Power Services Limited (278.76 GWh)"2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.2.3.1 and Figure 3-6, printed p.43 / PDF p.64 · 2025wording checked against the document
    2025 Energy Sector Report · s.3.2.3.1 and Figure 3-6, printed p.43 / PDF p.64 · wording checked against the document
Not established
  • Table 3-9's stated purchase total (737.86 GWh) exceeds the sum of its four channel totals (737.75 GWh) by 0.11 GWh. Unreconciled; both figures are as printed.
  • The ERB's stated IPT import total (278.76 GWh) equals GreenCo's figure alone; the three traders' figures sum to 1,451.06 GWh. The report does not reconcile them, so no total is recorded here.
  • GreenCo's import figure in Figure 3-6 (278.76 GWh) matches neither its SAPP-plus-bilateral purchases in Table 3-9 (283.75 GWh) nor any other combination of its columns. Unreconciled.
  • The wheeling and system operation agreements are approvals, not flows. No source read says how much energy moved under them, or how much additional trading the reform caused.
FundingNot applicable

Blockers

Connections

  • Shared challenge with New wholesale market (SAWEM), Wheeling under existing arrangements
  • Potential learning with New wholesale market (SAWEM), Wheeling under existing arrangements
  • Joint action or dependency with New wholesale market (SAWEM), Untraded matched energy, NamPower outages, ZiZaBoNa interconnector

Institutions named

A role is shown only where a quoted source says what the institution does on this reform.

Reach: 3 cross-border links, 1 blockers, 3 institutions in 1 country. Counted from the records.