Construction of the project is tabled for 2023 RIYADH: Canadian-based mining and metals company First Quantum Minerals Ltd. is planning to power its copper mines in Zambia through a $500 million solar and wind energy installation, Bloomberg reported. The installation is funded by transitional energy projects-focused Chariot Ltd. which, in itself, is backed by French multinational integrated oil and gas company TotalEnergies SE. Construction of the project is tabled for 2023. To supply the Kansanshi and Sentinel mines respectively, a 230 megawatt solar plant as well as a 200 MW wind farm will be constructed. While the solar energy will be produced during the day, the wind energy will be generated primarily at night. The project’s peak capacity is expected to take place in Zambia’s dry season when the country is exposed to droughts. Founded in 1983, the mining company had initially intended to invest in a 300 MW coal power project in Botswana to supply the mines in Zambia.