# ZESCO awards Mpika–Kasama 330 kV line to SINOTEC Consortium, its second interconnector package this year

> The World Bank-financed contract was signed at USD 38.3 million plus ZMW 155.2 million; Indian and Chinese contractors filled the rest of the bid table.

- Topic: Contract award
- Event date: 2026-10-14
- First published on EPC Feed: 2026-10-24T06:44:58.097Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T06:44:58.097Z
- Value: USD 38,279,359.30 (Plus ZMW 155,152,727.35 in the signed contract price.)
- Companies: ZESCO Limited, SINOTEC Consortium, Transrail Lighting, KEC International, Kalpataru Projects International, TBEA, World Bank
- Countries: Zambia
- Page: https://epcfeed.com/news/zesco-mpika-kasama-330kv-line-awarded-to-sinotec-consortium


## Key facts

- Employer: ZESCO Limited
- Winner: SINOTEC Consortium (China)
- Scope: Second 330 kV Mpika–Kasama line, about 200 km, and substation works
- Signed price: USD 38,279,359.30 + ZMW 155,152,727.35
- Duration: 24 months
- Bids: 8 evaluated, 4 rejected

ZESCO Limited has awarded the design, supply and installation of a second 330 kV single-circuit line between Mpika and Kasama in Zambia, about 200 km long with substation works at both ends, to SINOTEC Consortium, which the award notice lists under China. The World Bank published the contract award notice on 14 October 2026; the notification of award is dated 5 August 2026.

The signed contract price is USD 38,279,359.30 plus ZMW 155,152,727.35, for a contract duration of 24 months. The project belongs to the RETRADE-SA MPA Phase 1: Zambia–Tanzania Interconnector Project.

## The bid table

SINOTEC’s evaluated bid of USD 47.16 million was the lowest of eight evaluated bids. The others ranged from USD 48.58 million (Transrail Lighting) and USD 49.02 million (KEC International) to USD 74.23 million (Amulet Group). Four bids were rejected, one of them for not providing a bid security.

The same consortium won package 1 of the interconnector, the 186 km Pensulo–Mpika line, in an award notice published in July 2026, at USD 34,332,908.00 plus ZMW 116,459,751.84. Transrail Lighting, KEC International, Kalpataru Projects International and TBEA were evaluated in both procurements.

## Sources

1. [World Bank procurement notice OP00475127: Contract award, Mpika–Kasama 330 kV transmission line](https://search.worldbank.org/api/v2/procnotices?format=json&id=OP00475127). Official notice, World Bank, Published 2026-10-14, Read 2026-10-23.
2. [World Bank procurement notice OP00457165: Contract award, Pensulo–Mpika 330 kV transmission line, package 1](https://search.worldbank.org/api/v2/procnotices?format=json&id=OP00457165). Official notice, World Bank, Published 2026-07-16, Read 2026-10-23.