Creating the Foundations of an Open Energy Market
CIJ is supporting Zambia’s Energy Regulation Board (ERB) to advance critical energy sector reforms aimed at creating a stable, transparent, and investment-friendly environment. As Zambia transitions to a more open electricity market, the ERB faces the challenge of enabling greater private sector participation while safeguarding the public interest. CIJ is working closely with the ERB to strengthen its legal and regulatory foundations – ensuring that the energy sector is governed by clear, coherent, and enforceable laws.

CIJ’s Role: Technical Assistance and Training
This support includes technical assistance in policy analysis, legal drafting, and strengthening its institutional architecture. CIJ also designed and delivered a targeted workshop to help the ERB deepen its regulatory capabilities.

The training focused on the legal and contractual dimensions of Independent Power Producers (IPPs), non-utilities companies that generate and sell electricity. IPPs in Zambia are responsible for a range of power generation projects, including hydroelectric, solar, and geothermal plants. This is a critical area for the country as it seeks to diversify its energy supply and improve private sector engagement.

The workshop delivered by CIJ brought together 32 participants from key institutions, including the Ministry of Energy, the Rural Electrification Authority (REA), and the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI). The training was further enriched by expert facilitators from the law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth, whose global experience in energy law and project finance added depth and practical insights.

Working Together to Identify and Address Challenges
This case illustrates the benefits of CIJ’s distinctive approach. By establishing a wide-ranging partnership with the Zambian government, we were able to work with them to strengthen institutional capacity and regulatory effectiveness in response to their evolving national context, their economic development needs, and the challenges that they had observed. By investing in the people and processes that shape national reform, CIJ and the Zambian government have laid the groundwork for a well-governed energy sector that protects consumers, builds investor confidence, and contributes to the country’s broader development goals of inclusive growth and energy security.