ZESCO claims over 63,000 households, businesses, others to benefit from subsidized electricity connections by 2027

Over 63,000 households, businesses, social and public infrastructures are reportedly set to benefit from subsidized electricity connections by 2027, authorities say.

ZESCO Company Spokesperson, Matongo Maumbi, claimed this would be through the implementation of the Lusaka Transmission and Distribution Rehabilitation Project.

Maumbi in a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday, said the project began its last mile connections on March, 11, 2024.

“Amid ongoing load shedding challenges, ZESCO Limited is leading efforts to enhance community resilience in Lusaka through this project,” he stated.

Maumbi said this critical phase focused on resolving issues with the 400 Volts low voltage distribution network.

He claimed this would enhance the network’s reliability and flexibility, leading to a higher quality of power supply in eight key townships of Lusaka.

“The townships are Mtendere East, Chainda, Kamanga, Ngwerere, Mandevu, Garden Compound, John Howard and Chawama,” Maumbi said.

He added that the project emphasizes ZESCO’s commitment to accessible and reliable electricity for high-density and low-income areas.

“To maintain affordability, connection fees are K300 for households and Micro Small Enterprises and K800 for social and public infrastructure in the aforementioned townships,” Maumbi highlighted.

He urged the communities to help prevent vandalism, as it worsens load shedding by causing longer outages and higher repair costs.

Maumbi said with a €65 million grant from the European Union, €7 million was designated for subsidized connections.

He revealed that an initial €2 million was already enabling the first 18,750 connections.

“This initiative represents a significant step towards a brighter future for Lusaka. ZESCO invites eligible residents to take advantage of this opportunity for reliable, efficient and safe electricity,” Maumbi stated.

He said this ‘last mile’ effort focused on ensuring that electricity was delivered at an appropriate and safe level directly to consumers, enhancing the overall power experience in homes and businesses.

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