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Government says it has as envisaged in its integrated source plan to increase Zambia’s energy capacity by 10,000 megawatts within five to 10 years.
Energy Minister, Peter Kapala, says it is unfortunate that Zambia, despite attaining independence over 50 years ago, the country only has an installed capacity of 3600 megawatts.
Kapala was speaking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the High Level –Power Dialogue on Private Sector Investment in Electricity and Infrastructure development in Africa.
He said to this effect government has come up with a deliberate policy to only undertake feasibility studies after entering into viable Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) in order to expedite the process of transforming Zambia into a regional generation and export hub.
“Feasibility studies will only be conducted after PPAs are done as most investors already undertake desk studies before deciding to invest in a project,” Kapala said.
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He said government is committed to attracting more investment in the Energy sector and Zambia remains an attractive investment destination because of a liberal foreign exchange policy and a stable and peaceful political and economic environment.
According to a statement issued by Inutu Mwanza, the First Secretary-Press and Tourism at the Zambian Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Kapala further said government was confident that it would add 5000 megawatts of power through solar generation in the next five years.
The High-Level Power Dialogue on Private Sector Investment in Electricity and Infrastructure development in Africa is, among other things, focused on developing Africa’s Infrastructure and closing energy access gaps to march toward the social and economic transformation of the continent.
Contributed by Augustine Sichula
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