Friday, March 29, 2024

Government to import 200 megawatts of power next month

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Siliya with Kafwaya Tazara  MD and Energy director during the tour of Solwezi fuel depot
Siliya with Kafwaya Tazara MD and Energy director during the tour of Solwezi fuel depot

Government says it will start importing 200 megawatts of power from a European ship that will be docked in Mozambique in January next year.

Energy Minister Dora Siliya says US$18.2 million per month will be spent by government in the venture to keep the country’s economy running.

This is in the wake of the anticipated reduction of power currently being purchased from the Mozambique power company, she said.

Ms Siliya said the move will cushion the anticipated load shedding since the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has asked Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) to cut back on its generation by 300 megawatts by January.

“Since the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has asked Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) to cut back on its generation by 300 megawatts by January it will mean increased load shedding hence the decision to import power from the European ship, “she said.

She was speaking in Solwezi today during a meeting with various stakeholders from mining companies and business owners.

Ms Siliya said government is in the process of procuring five inland generators will supply 250 megawatts to help cushion the power deficit in the country.

Lusaka and the Copper belt provinces will each have two generators while one will be set in North-western province, said the Energy minister.

She said despite these measures being expensive, they have to be undertaken to save the country from facing more load shedding.

Speaking North-western province minister Dawson Kafwaya appealed to the ministry to engage owners of mini hydro power stations in the area to see how they can be expanded.

Mr Kafwaya said when Ms Siliya paid a courtesy call on him at his office, the province has potential to generate enough power to supply to all its districts.

Energy minister Siliya unveils the plaque during the official opening of Solwezi Fuel depot
Energy minister Siliya unveils the plaque during the official opening of Solwezi Fuel depot

9 COMMENTS

  1. Just like that?? You cannot further explain why ZESCO is being told by Zambezi River Authority to cut back on power generatrion by such a huge amount 300MW!? And then you say have brough in 5 generators for Lusaka,CB and NW provinces and you don’t explain what fuel they will be running on (Diesel, Heavy oil or gas)? And then you dont explain whether the generators+imports will bridge the entire deficit? What type of Minister is this? And then could you explain why you wish to spend $400++ on township roads on the CB when the same money if invested in hydro power generation in Northern or Luapula or NW can bring on board over 300MW??This level of recklessness and utter mediocrity should be punished at some stage! We are really tired of your taking us for granted and for nothingness!

    • It’s time for campaign next year so all they are doing is mislead some illiterates that things have been sorted out, $18 million per month is a lot of money , why can’t this money channeled to buy solar panels and installed in some household as a soft loan , through this zesCo can save more than 600 megawatts unlike this path which will be accumulating $18 million monthly for the next 2-5 yrs.what happened to the intellectuals PA zed Kashi

  2. Ms Siliya said government is in the process of procuring five inland generators will supply 250 megawatts to help cushion the power deficit in the country.

    Lusaka and the Copper belt provinces will each have two generators while one will be set in North-western province, said the Energy minister

    BUYING THE CAPACITY WILL BE BETTER THAN SPENDING 18M USD FOR SO MANY MONTHS TO COME FOR CLOSE TO 2 YEARS

  3. Here is a one quote from GHANA and many examples to research and comfirm on:

    ‘’Our checks have revealed that these barges will run on fuel oil and thus generation costs are expected to be in the region of US¢17-20/kWh,” GGDP said in its paper signed by Interim Vice-Chairman Theo Acheampong.

    The group, however, added a caveat. “We…implore the government to fast track the delivery and connection of these barges to the national grid by quickly resolving key technical and commercial risks such as those to do with tie-in points to the national grid and depositing of monies into an escrow account as guarantee against ECG’s liquidity.”

    The barges, which will give a combined power capacity of 450 Megawatts – 225 apiece – cost $250 million in total. The Government has asked…

  4. Save some money and acquire as the best case to spending 18 m USD monthly Running costs on your own either on heavy fuels or gas might save you some money and moreover you may acquire your own BURGE OR POWERSHIP in that financing for 2 years at 18 Million USD and reduce the power prime cost for a KWH consumption
    You can deploy and commission close to 310 MW to 600 MW between 60 days and 180 days with in land or on shore substation You can utilise the Kariba dam or ITT and manage the stabilisation of the ship to feed into the grid instead of importing the little 200 Mw at KWH that is not commensurate to the…

  5. the productivity generated per KWH

    That is the long-term solution and allow other resources of government to run those plans These karadeniz ships are customised barges bought and installed with generation plants for less than a 100 Million Dollars especially those previously used in military deep sea power generation for military deployed installations

    Ghana has purchased its own for USD 250 Million like many countries that have optimised the procument decision and will save close to 1 Billion Dollars over a 1 year period in combined importation and road shedding that is avoidable

  6. More IPPs will be a better short term measure with long-term benefits compared to the estimated costs of the power ships that are significantly more expensive than IPP’s and in case of Zambia’s

    I would support the ministers words to procure rather than incur 18 Million USD monthly with little productivity per KW to translate in a marginal contribution towards

  7. So Mozambique had excess power to export to Zambia. Then we were being told lies that energy shortage is a regional thing or is global?

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