The project has created about 5,000 jobs for local residents and the school has trained a large group of skilled workers, he noted.
The Zambian leader also urged local people to learn more skills from the Chinese engineers and play their part in the project.
Yang Youming, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, pointed out that the two countries have great potential in hydro-power cooperation under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit and the Belt and Road Initiative.
POWERCHINA tapped into the Zambian market in 2000 and has since been engaged in 12 projects, Yang said. He spoke highly of the company’s contribution to improving local people’s lives through donations and other charitable activities.
He said China would continue to support power infrastructure construction in Zambia and promote the cooperation in various fields to an even higher level to help the country reach middle-income levels by 2030.
Upon its completion, the plant will meet the country’s energy needs for the next five to ten years and provide a stable power supply for mining and agriculture. It will also create new employment and boost the local economy.
The river closure was finished on Aug 9 and follow-up construction projects in the next phase are progressing well.
More than 400 people, including the Zambian minister of energy David Mabumba and other officials as well as representatives of Zesco Corporation, Zambia's leading power utility, were present.
