The Ngonye Falls Hydroelectric Project in Zambia has been awarded Gold certification after being assessed under the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS).

The project excelled in several areas, including labour and working conditions, as well as governance and procurement. It has also demonstrated best practice in communications and consultation, having achieved broad stakeholder support after engaging local communities through a partnership approach.

Joerg Hartmann, independent consultant and lead assessor, praised the project, saying: "The Ngonye Falls project is a prime example of how benefit-sharing agreements can deliver genuine value to local communities.

“It also demonstrates the development impact of bringing power to a remote and underserved region. The area surrounding Ngonye Falls is one of the poorest where we have assessed a hydropower project.

“There will be challenges still to address in terms of risks to biodiversity, cultural heritage and aesthetics. But we can have confidence in the systematic and proactive approach that the developers have taken from the outset.”

The project is expected to be completed in 2028. You can find out more on the Ngonye Falls HPP assessment profile.