CONSTRUCTION of the 14.8 megawatt (MW) Lunzua hydro power project has been completed at a cost of US$51.6 million and is expected to be connected to the national electricity grid next month.
Speaking during a tour of the project on Wednesday, Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development permanent secretary Charity Mwansa said Government is committed to improving power supply to boost economic activities and to reduce load shedding.
She said the connection of the 14.8 MW Lunzua hydropower station to the national electricity grid will stabilise supply of power to Northern, Luapula and Muchinga provinces.
“The nation has for a long time depended on generation of power from the southern region. It is important that we construct power stations in areas such as the north to ensure stable power supply,” Ms Mwansa said.
She also said the commissioning of the Lunzua hydro power project will improve trade in electricity with Kenya and Tanzania because the two countries are interconnected with Zambia.
And Zesco Northern regional manager Cephas Lungu said the power utility will carry out the last test next month after which the hydro power station will be connected to the national electricity grid.
He said this will improve power supply to the region.
Meanwhile, construction manager Wu Yilong said the project is a success because it has been completed on schedule.
These PF ukushishita, so slow. Commission the damd hydro power tomorrow. Those are votes badala….
Which provinces again? OUR region. So sad.
Fi PF ukushishita, who is campaign manager? Why not commission that Hydro-project tomorrow, elections are on Tuesday. They are aware that GBM has stormed that region of the power-thing, and you continue not taking opportunity to at-least grab a thousand votes.
Good job. Thats one of the first projects HE Hakainde Hichilema will commission . I will mark my calendar. HH2015.
Guess I was late, the crazies are not asleep yet I see.
Second best News after Jesus this year. No partisan nonsense here you PF, MMD and UPND sheep that cannot see good.
Mwanawakwitu! My brother I haven’t seen posts from you in ages, hope all is well.
I am always here, fighting with UPND, MMD and PF misfits. You would not belioeve some of the nonsense the spew LOL!!!. Looking for my girlfriend Maureen Mwanawasa, she has not posted in years lol. Nine Chale appears once every green moon as well.
This is a great development and will reduce pressure on power supply from the South. No country can develop without proper investments in infrastructure amongst other sectors. This is a true testament of that. We look forward to reaping the benefits in the near future.
we need big serious hydropower station on chambeshi luapula river. this one will just supply one village.
Its a $56.1 million project and all you can say is that it will supply power to one village? Let’s be serious.
Please keep your ignorance to your self. If you do not understand something keep quite!!
Please note that the Lunzua river is a small river and the existing power station had an installed capacity of 0.75 MW. When it was constructed in the 1960s it was able to meet the power requirement of Mbala and Mpulungu. I do not think more than 14.2 MW power Station can be generated from this river. If we assume a maximum load of 3 KW per household a 14.2 MW (14,200 KW) Power station can connect about 5000 households or a population of about 25,000 people, hardly a village by any means. The solar home system used in Eastern Province can not produce AC power which is more versatile than DC power.
Instead of investing in Solar power plants we are busy throwing money in one energy source.
Explain the advantages of investing in solar other than this project sir?
Ignorance does not pay. Get schooled before emptying your ignorance. Hydro is more sustainable than solar and is applicability is diverse than solar.
PF IN ACTION
Mulenga, waba no bufi! Hydro more sustainable than Solar? When you suffer more droughts, & as the globe heats up, you will have more sunshine days than rainy days especially in this part of the world.
The least cost generation is hydropower not solar. In any case a hydropower plant generates electricity 24/7 but a solar plant cannot generate electricity at night or when there is a cloud cover. If you want to improve the energy mix you can have thermal power stations using coal which is in abundance. Of course solar can be a viable alternative in countries like Botswana and Namibia where there are not many rivers.
Pf Nafuti Nafuti!!! First commissioning for Excellency lungu!!!
Sikas how sure are u? Such statements are special ingredients to anarchy. Let’s be real. Its just 3 days and we will knw how wrong ur.
@ other side
It’s a foregone conclusion yama. You don’t need a crystal ball here.HH will be the one to cut the ribbon or unveil the plaque. The plaque will read something like ” This power station was officially commissioned by HE Hakainde Hichilema on ….” . You know the whole dance yama. I’m sure everyone would have sobered up by then. It will be headline news on our own ZNBC. Viva HH.
Ya but ine nkabelengepo watchdog ninshi ndimbwa fye kwena. Ifyabupuba fye efyo balecita ba watch mbwa. Ebalalushisha na HH.