Construction of the Mujila and Itehzi tezhi hydro power projects is progressing, ZESCO Integrated Management Systems senior Manager, Ellenestina Mwelwa has said.
Ms Mwelwa said the two projects would sustain the supply of electricity in both the rural and urban communities of Zambia. She said that once the two hydro power plants were complete they would massively contribute to the economic growth in the country thereby having a jump in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
She said in Lusaka that the Mujila would light the rural and create approximately 400 jobs while the Itezhi tezhi would light the nation would create an estimated 1000 jobs.
The Itezhi tezhi hydro project is expected to be complete by the end of 2014 and the Mujila was to be completed in 2018.
Ms Mwelwa said the two plants that would enhance development will benefit the citizens in various ways.
“We are a hydro power based country which makes our power clean. Therefore, all our new developmental projects which are mitigation programmes, that is why we are encouraging hydro power schemes in order to export clean power.
She said the biggest challenge for implementation of power projects had always been a lack of resources.
An expert in Climate Change and Resource Management, Lemmy Namayanga has called on Government to consider supplying electricity through renewable energy such as solar panels throughout the country.
Speaking in a separate interview Mr Namayanga said the low water levels in the Zambezi River cause power cuts which called for the need to have a backup plan to avoid power cuts in the near future.
“If we invest in that as a nation it will lessen the power cuts we are experiencing as we are blessed with solar, the current power generating stations were built long ago when the population was less and yet the population is growing,” he said.
He said the environment was unpredictable and encouraged that Government must invest in constructing more dams for water storage as the current dams were insufficient.
Itezhi Tezhi hydro has been under construction since I was a kid (am now 47). If that is how long it takes to construct a hydro power station, then I would suggest other energy sources. If government had concentrated on providing solar power to the people of Namwala and Itezhi Tezhi, the project would have been completed a long time ago and would have reached more rural people.
Bob, you should appreciate that itezhi tezhi was constructed mainly to regulate the flow of water on Kafue river. At the time it was not economical to generate power at itezhi tezhi. Nevertheless, a provision was made for a power station for the future. so i am afraid you did not get the facts right when you were a kid
Nothing has changed then Bob. You were ignorant then and are still ignorant now! Well look at the bright side, you have been consistent all your life. Consistently ignorant!
@Bob,
Bob, always read about things before you comment. do your research.
You have just depicted a classic uttering of an educated ignorant person.
Bob no wonder you live South Africa particularly Alexandra compound
Hahaha shame bob ingronacy is not a blessing…… Great to see this project will be online soon I would be happy in us looking into alternatives to hydro as backup possibly coal or solar