Government has devised a plan aimed at reducing power supply restrictions to the mining companies in order to enable them continue operating effectively.
And Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma has since directed ZESCO to lift power supply restrictions on First Quantum Mine in North-Western province with effect from today.
Mr Yaluma said the decision was arrived at during a meeting government held with chief executive officers from the power utility companies and various mining houses in North-Western and Copperbelt provinces at Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) yesterday to discuss the issues affecting the mining sector with regards to the current power supply restrictions by ZESCO.
Briefing the media on the outcome of the meeting, Mr Yaluma said government has developed an action plan to amicably resolve the challenges that the mining companies are facing due to the power supply restrictions they are currently experiencing.
He said Government does not want the mining houses to be restricted with power without them knowing about the load shedding schedule.
He said it was important to plan how these power cuts should be done and when they should be done for the mines to enable them operate effectively within the available power.
The minister also noted that there was need for ZESCO, the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) and the mining sector to come up with a workable load shedding schedule which will not affect the operations of the mines.
Mr Yaluma said government will work tirelessly to ensure that it develops long- term measures aimed at mitigating power outages in the mines.
And Zambia Chamber of Mines president, Jackson Sikamo commended government for showing interest in resolving the challenges that mining companies are facing with regards to power shortages.
Mr Sikamo said the mines were happy that some of the concerns that they had raised have been addressed in this meeting.
ZESCO has restricted power supply to some mines on the Copperbelt and North-Western provinces in the wake of the power deficit the country is currently experiencing.
And some mines have been threatening to close some of their operations due to the power supply restrictions.
Narrow focus on mines and omitting urban water supply deeply negatively affected by load shedding in urban townships is to me myopic. How do they expect water companies to provide water in towns? Where was NWASCO when this meeting was being held?
Failed power institution, failed minister. Economic disaster. No penalties for failure.
Dangote has built a thermal power generating station even before he reaps any profit from his cement factory………..why can’t the owners of these mines do the same when they have been reaping profits for years and years?
The best way to solve the many problems that Zambia is facing is just one; let us join hands and force Edgar Muhammed Lungu to resign.
He has failed indeed no wonder he collapsed during women’s day.
By now, the capacity of power generation by ZESCO is in no doubt. What the Minister is directing is merely shifting favours. The choice is simple, give the mines and deprive others. More longer black outs for non mining industries and domestic consumers will be the outcome of this adjustment. It is a catch 22 situation.
Wake up Zambians, the destiny of the country is in your hands through leadership choices. Zozifuniila!
YES. LUNGU SHOULD RESIGN. LUNGU IS A SERIOUS LIABILITY TO OUR GREAT NATION.
Which plan have you got you pigs.
2016 you are losing with your drunkard.
This Chipuba Minister is directly contradicting his President who wants the mines to produce their own power. Do these PFools ever hold Cabinet meetings, or is it the result of speaking about technical matters in iciBemba during Cabinet proceedings? Another PFool was claiming that reduced copper production has no impact on GDP! These jackasses should not be running a country. We will all be poor for it very soon.
fooolish government
Is there anyone thinking in this government?, first you knew the consequences of load shedding , I don’t understand it, people we are in trouble, in this government!!!!!
Some cadres are delusional.You think power deficit is a creation of the government.Just pray for rains next season.Maybe some political party has solutions with issues to do with nature.
Maybe he should direct rain to fall immediately or it will be deported with immediate effect. Or do we mean exported… Something like that
Like I have always said Zambia is merely two poor rainy seasons to utter disaster for its over dependence on maize and hydro-electricity….diversification is the only solution!!
What is this plan may I ask? Is it merely a Political directive to poor Engineers without logic…in simple words all he is saying is load-shed more to domestic customers.
when a government stops thinking
You fools you HH can solve the problems Zambia is facing.You will loose to lungu again come 2016.PF nafuti nafuti
Christopher is not thinking well. Does the mines CEOs need to think on behalf of the government to Act. This government seem to work when it is pushed. Its people had to push it in order for it to start importing power minimum power to serve the mines.
How come we have water now to generate power?
I can see unscheduled load shedding persisting at the mines. Unscheduled stoppages will affect concentrate grades and smelter recoveries!
Yaluma and Chagwa are obviously not in the same boat or if they are, they are facing opposite directions, having thrown away the paddles!
Invite the private sector to invest in clusters of solar power plants for house hold use. With favorable concessions, these can easily and quickly be setup. This would free-up high voltage power from zesco for the mines and other industries.
This is a no-brainer. How can Lungu say load shedding should be done equally to all. Makes no sense to cut power to factor and provide to a households watching TV. While it’s a convenience for households jobs are really more important.
Anyway, Zambians voted for a visionless Government. Ifintu Ni Lungu (sic)
Typical of them to implement something without conducting a study to understand the implications.
Too many clowns too few circuses. Is the most appropriate analogy here.
So you want to give power to the Mines what about other industries and end consumers.
Please just have the old turbines installed, tell those chinese to pick up their scrap and get a refund of the $ spent. Unless you have also chowed with your 40 thieves.
Zambia is headed in the same foot steps of Jamaica when they went through with the same crazyness you are with your president.