LUSAKA, June 30 (Reuters) - Zambia's President Hakainde

Hichilema on Monday opened the country's biggest grid-connected

solar power plant, built by PowerChina, which will supply

electricity to copper miner First Quantum Minerals ( FQVLF ).

The 100 megawatt Chisamba project is expected to reduce the

Southern African country's reliance on electricity imports from

neighbours South Africa and Mozambique.

It will free up capacity for Zambian consumers that would

have otherwise been used by First Quantum Minerals ( FQVLF ).

Zambia depends on hydropower for the bulk of its electricity

generation needs, and low water levels because of a severe

drought have forced state utility Zesco to ration electricity.

Hichilema said at a launch event that the drought

highlighted the need to urgently diversify the power mix.

There are plans to add another 100 MW of capacity at the

Chisamba site, although a timeframe for the expansion has not

been laid out.