Thursday, March 28, 2024

Government working on short-term measures to reduce load shedding-Siliya

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 Dora Siliya
Dora Siliya

MINISTER of Energy and Water Development Dora Siliya says Government is working on short-term measures to reduce load shedding and make power rationing predictable to enable the business sector to plan.

Ms Siliya told a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday that as a short-term measure, Government wants consistence and predictability in the manner power is rationed to protect businesses.

“We will import a further 148 megawatts of power from Mozambique to reduce the current deficit of 700 megawatts we have as a nation,” Ms Siliya said.

The minister said the current power crisis the nation is facing is not a Government problem but a national emergency that requires the input of everyone to resolve.

Ms Siliya said as a long-term and sustainable measure, Government is considering renewable energy such as solar.

“As a matter of fact, on Monday we will have a meeting starting as early as 07:00 hours at Mulungushi International Conference Centre to specifically look at how best we will tackle this national emergency,” she said.

Ms Siliya urged the media to help inform the nation on the measures Government is taking to resolve the power deficit.

“The media has a critical role in all this. As a ministry, we will soon engage you to help the nation understand that we are working round the clock to fix this emergency that has befallen us as a nation,” Ms Siliya said.

And the European Union (EU) has earmarked over €200 million for investment in the energy sector to help Zambia grow and address challenges in the industry.
Incoming head of EU delegation to Zambia and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Alessandro Mariani said the EU will continue supporting initiatives in different sectors of the economy to enhance growth.

In an interview on Friday, Mr Mariani said the funding will make great impact in the development of the energy sector.

“There is another sector of concentration of our support which is the energy sector. With the energy sector the resources which have been earmarked for development is €244 million.

The investment in the sector is more relevant today than it was a year ago when the decision was taken to [fund the energy sector in Zambia]. So this shows that there is a vision and willingness by Government and the EU to be working in partnership,” he said.

Mr Mariani said investment in the sector will enable the country accelerate economic growth and improve competitiveness through increased access to clean and reliable energy

He said the funding provides more opportunities for Zambia to continue with its developmental agenda.

11 COMMENTS

    • Lies, lies, lies and more lies from Dora (and her friends). PF has no plan – short term or long term – to deal with the power deficit. Where is the power that ka Lungu was crapping about importing from Mozambique to supply the mining sector? What we know is that the problem will get even worse as the water levels go down.

  1. Well,Load shedding now is worse.U can’t understand Zesco also.It means there are a lot of cadres working there.Let Zesco tell the truth infact things are worse now.I’m PF bit don’t support nonsense.let pipo who are qualified hundle the economy and these big institutions.it seems zesco is useless to me coz they don’t tell the truth.Despite importing power load shedding is jst getting worse especially in compounds.compounds. Doesn’t mean pipo from compounds don’t want power?useless ideas from these zesco employees.In Kamwala south loadshedding is now worse.u can’t find power at night.

  2. AS you are at it…. start looking for long term measures …. which was supposed to be looked at from the time PF was elected… global warming didn’t start yesterday, therefore climate changes are here to stay! you better start thinking long term!!!!!!!!

  3. Short term measures at hefty prices and you wonder how we got here….someone will have to pay for this your recklessness!!

  4. @SILIYA”We will import a further 148 megawatts of power from Mozambique to reduce the current deficit of 700 megawatts we have as a nation,” Ms Siliya said.

    I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT. I HEARD OF ” WE ARE DISCUSSING WHAT IS IN THE YELLOW BOOK”, BUT WHAT YOU ARE INTENDING TO DO IS IT IN THE YELLOW BOOK TOO? TELL ZAMBIANS THAT YOU HAVE SOLD THEIR STRONG BRITISH MACHINES AT KARIBA AND REPLACED THEM WITH WEAK CHINESE MACHINES HENCE THE PROBLEM OF LOAD SHADING.

  5. “the current power crisis the Nation is facing is not a Government problem”………

    But it is “a national emergency” !!!!!

    So tell us Ms. MINISTER of Energy and Water Development, Dora Siliya, WHO IS SUPPOSED TO HANDLE NATIONAL EMERGENCIES IF IT IS NOT A GOVERNMENT PROBLEM?????

  6. Let the doubting Thomas be and I know they are just hell bent on criticizing everything that comes from Government! Those that have been brain washed by M’membe the same way
    Africans were brained washed by bazungus through christianity should continued hating Dora for nothing! This woman is a workaholic and I know she means every word she has said. just wait and you will see things turn around then we see what you are going to say. M’membe just wanted MMD out for his own selfish reasons and that’s why he kept on concocting lies about every hardworking person in the MMD and making them look corrupt. But because Zambian can be so gullible sometimes they believed him and he had his way.

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