‘ZESCO, a lost cause’, CBU professor, Sichone, says off-grid energy needed

Adding to the ongoing debate on the historical power cuts Zambia is experiencing, governance expert and Copperbelt University (CBU) professor of peace and conflict resolution said ZESCO is the ‘lost cause’.

“Zesco is a lost cause they are never in a hurry to connect new customers. What if we all had zesco power, how many new turbines would they add at Kariba north bank? ” Sichone wondered .

He further asked how quickly would ZESCO drain the reservoir?

Sichone said in commentary on Sunday that as the country did with mobile phones under the Post and Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) before it was split into two separate entities, Zamtel and Zampost ) also didn’t want to connect Zambians to the landlines.

“We need to go off-grid and use roof top solar as well as community level solar power stations if we are to overcome future power deficits in the country,” he said.

Sichone said the blue solar powered grain mills have surplus power which goes to waste.

Had they been located near health posts or schools or police posts, he said this would not be the case.

Sichone said the Rural Electrification Authority (REA ) should change its name to Rural Energy and provide wind and solar power as well as bio-gas and charcoal briquettes technologies that can meet our domestic low megawatt needs.

“Of course if new mines and new mineral refineries are set up we will probably need Tanzanian and Mozambican gas to power their industries. If not it will have to be Maamba coal,” he said.