Government says it spends around US$ 8 million annually on diesel to run generators that supply electricity to six districts in North Western province.
Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development Charles Zulu disclosed this in Zambezi today.
Mr Zulu said only two districts Solwezi and Kasempa are connected to the ZESCO national grid in North Western province while the six of the districts use diesel generators.
He made the disclosure in Zambezi during a stakeholders’ meeting convened to explain a multimillion dollar project ZESCO is undertaking to connect Mufumbwe, Zambezi, Kabompo, Chavuma and Mwinilunga districts to the National Grid.
He said US$ 163 million has been allocated for the connection of the six districts in province to the National Grid.
Mr. Zulu said that this project would be implemented within the next two years.
He said that during this period, approximately 1,500 to 2,000 jobs would be created to the local people in the districts.
He said despite having great potential for mining and agriculture, North-western Province has remained underdeveloped due to insufficient and unreliable power supply.
On 6th September last year, ZESCO signed a contract with Eltel Networks of Sweden to Implement the North Western Province grid extension project after an open public procurement process.
That’s what we wana hear. Not always lunatics yhapping constitution . Working GRZ indeed
The Ministry that deals with water affairs must swing into action to determine the number of rivers that have a sustained perennial flow of water. Such rivers can be harnessed for the development of hydroelectric power stations to supply the needs of Northwestern Province and sell the surplus to Angola and Congo DR.
A hydroelectric power station which has been developed at the Zambezi Rapids about 6 km north of Kalene Mission is a worthy success story for which much credit goes to a private organisation that initiated the project.
Besides, the Govt must develop a good (tarred) road to connect from Mwinilunga up to Ijimbe on the Angola border in order to prop up agriculture in the region.
Its unfortunate that successive governments have over looked investment projects in North Western and Western provinces. Like @Mphangwe has said, the sums spent on generators could have been a thing of the past if investment in either a sustainable HE power station had been built or providing funds to ZESCO for erection of High Tension High Voltage pylons connecting the provinces to the National Power grid. Availability of power spurs other developmental projects