By 
Zambia is next week expected to start importing power from Mozambique as ZESCO will be able to pay back the US$24 million debt it owes that country.
Government has also announced a reduction of load shedding duration to four from eight hours following the improved electricity generation.
Energy Minister, Peter Kapala made these announcements in Lusaka on Friday at a press briefing.
On power importation from Mozambique, Kapala was confident that ZESCO would next week be able to pay that country the US$24 million debt which had already been released by the government.
Read more: Boost for rural electrification, as private sector players to access $2.5m credit facility
“On the US$24 million debt for Mozambique, this is in the process and I am confident that by next week this money will be released to ZESCO and it will be able to pay Mozambique and we should be able to receive the power. I mentioned this recently,” he said.
Recently, acting Energy Minister Collins Nzovu said at a media briefing that ZESCO planned to import up to 280 megawatts (MW) of electricity from Mozambique and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
He said “We are looking to import 80 megawatts from the SAPP market. We are also looking at importing between 100 and 200 megawatts from EDM,” Nzovu said, referring to Mozambique’s power utility.
Meanwhile, Kapala said that government had revised the staggered eight hours load-shedding downwards to four hours following an improvement in water inflows into the major hydro power reservoirs namely, Kariba, Kafue Gorge and Itezhi-Tezhi.
Kapala mentioned that customers would now be loadsheded once in a day for four straight hours only.
“With this adjustment, customers will have powers for a total of 20 hours in a day as opposed to the previous 16 hours of power supply. This improvement has resulted in increased power generation at Kariba North Bank Power station, Kafue Gorge Power Station, Kafue Gorge Lower Power station, Itezhi-tezhi power station and Victoria falls Power Station,” he said.
Kapala said with this improvement, total electricity generation had now increased by 305 megawatts bringing the total national generation to 2, 215 megawatts.
The Minister said this increased generation was against the current power demand of 280 megawatts resulting in a reduced power deficit from 470 megawatts to 165megawatts.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments