Long-Forgotten Engineering

Among the high rise of the capital of Zambia lies a piece of fascinating engineering with rich history. It looks like a nuclear power plant at a distance. But what is it ? Why was it built ? And why is it abandoned?
This is the Zesco cooling tower began operating in 1934. It was the first major power plant in Lusaka and the second in Zambia.
It was powered using coal and the electricity generated was supplied to the rest of Lusaka City. It ceased operations when the Kariba Dam power station was completed in 1962. The cooling tower and power plant ceased operation in 1970 and has not been used for power generation since.