Nakonde district in Northern Province has been plunged into total darkness, grounding operations to a halt in some government departments and business centres following a complete damage of a 33 KV ZESCO transformer at the main sub station in Mukoma.
The ZESCO power black out, which occurred on Wednesday night, entered day three today although the electricity utility company seems to be making progress in rectifying the problem.
Nakonde district Council Secretary Francis Nkhoma told a stakeholders meeting held in the council chamber yesterday that the power black out in the border town has affected the supply of water in the entire district.
The power black out has forced people to draw water from unprotected wells and scoops along the river banks, the sources which are highly contaminated especially during the rain season.
Mr. Nkhoma however, said ZESCO is working round the clock to restore power.
He said the management of the electricity utility company should consider replacing the damaged transformer as soon as possible in order to restore normal business operations in the border town.
The fault has also paralysed operations at Nakonde health centre especially the mortuary section.
People are now forced to burry their dead relatives on the same day they pass on while those who have money opt to take bodies to Isoka district hospital mortuary, which is 118 kilometres away from Nakonde.
A check by the Zambia News and Information Services [ZANIS] this morning found ZESCO workers busy working as they waited for another 33KV transformer to arrive.
A ZESCO official, who declined to be named, said another 33 KV transformer has been dispatched and is expected to arrive in the border town soon.
At the town centre, business has literally grounded to a halt with huge loses in terms of perishable foods being recorded in both homes and shops.
In January 2010, another transformer got damaged in Nakonde and plunged the district in similar problems.
ZANIS
