Company: Copperbelt Energy Corporation
Country: Zambia
Sector: Electric Utilities
CEO: Not publicly listed
Website: Not publicly listed
Careers Page: Not publicly listed
LinkedIn: Not publicly listed
Email: Not publicly listed
Headquarters: Kitwe, Zambia
Founded: 1997 (restructured from Northern Rhodesia Power Corporation, originally founded 1952)
Valuation/Revenue: $791.6m market value (African Business Top 250, 2025)
Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (CEC) is a Zambian electricity transmission, distribution and supply company that grew out of the country’s copper-mining power infrastructure and has since expanded into power generation, renewable energy and cross-border operations in Nigeria.
What Does Copperbelt Energy Corporation Do?
CEC transmits and distributes electricity across Zambia’s Copperbelt Province, supplying power primarily to large mining customers alongside other industrial and commercial clients. Beyond core transmission, it operates gas turbine generators for emergency backup power and has been building out a renewable-energy generation portfolio, including solar power plants. The company has also diversified internationally into Nigeria’s power sector, holding a substantial stake in a major electricity distribution company there.
How Old Is Copperbelt Energy Corporation?
CEC’s roots go back to 1952, when it was established as the Northern Rhodesia Power Corporation to supply electricity to the colonial-era copper mining industry. Following the privatization of Zambia’s state mining company ZCCM in the 1990s, the business was restructured and re-launched as Copperbelt Energy Corporation in 1997, initially with international investors Cinergy Global Power (US) and National Grid (UK) holding controlling stakes before ownership shifted toward local shareholders over time.
Is Copperbelt Energy Corporation Publicly Traded?
Yes. CEC has been listed on the Lusaka Stock Exchange under the ticker CECZ since January 2008, and for years was Zambia’s only publicly listed power utility.
How Big Is Copperbelt Energy Corporation?
CEC carried a market value of approximately $791.6 million as of African Business magazine’s 2025 Top 250 African companies ranking, making it one of the larger listed utilities on the Lusaka Stock Exchange and a significant player in Southern Africa’s power sector given Zambia’s role as a major copper producer with substantial electricity demand from mining.
What Has Copperbelt Energy Corporation Been in the News For Recently?
CEC has been expanding its renewable generation capacity, commissioning the 34 MW Zambia Riverside Solar Power Station in 2023 and announcing development of the 60 MW Itimpi Solar Power Station in February 2024. On the international front, the company holds a 45% stake in Nigeria’s Abuja Electricity Distribution Company and a 20% interest in the 600 MW Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Station in Nigeria, giving it meaningful cross-border exposure to West African power markets alongside its core Zambian transmission business.
How Does Copperbelt Energy Corporation Compare to Its Competitors?
In Zambia, CEC’s principal counterpart is the state-owned utility ZESCO, which handles the bulk of national generation and distribution outside the Copperbelt mining corridor that CEC serves. CEC’s specialization in supplying reliable, high-capacity power to mining companies — Zambia’s dominant export industry — differentiates it from broader national utilities, while its Nigerian investments position it among a small group of Southern African utilities with meaningful pan-African power-sector exposure.
Links
Website: Not publicly listed
Careers Page: Not found
LinkedIn: Not found
Email: Not publicly listed
FAQ
Is Copperbelt Energy Corporation legit?
Yes, it is a listed public utility on the Lusaka Stock Exchange (ticker CECZ) with decades of operating history supplying Zambia’s mining sector.
Who owns Copperbelt Energy Corporation?
It is publicly traded on the Lusaka Stock Exchange; original controlling investors Cinergy Global Power and National Grid have since been succeeded by a broader, largely local shareholder base.
When was Copperbelt Energy Corporation founded?
Its predecessor dates to 1952; the company was restructured and relaunched as CEC in 1997.
Is Copperbelt Energy Corporation publicly traded?
Yes, on the Lusaka Stock Exchange since January 2008.
How much is Copperbelt Energy Corporation worth?
Approximately $791.6 million in market value per African Business’s 2025 Top 250 ranking.
Does Copperbelt Energy Corporation operate outside Zambia?
Yes, it holds stakes in Nigerian power assets including the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company and the Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Station.