Government says the dream of North-western Province being an economic hub and the next ‘copper belt’ will be realized in 2017 when the region will be connected to the national grid.
Energy and Water Development Minister Dora Siliya observed that only Solwezi and Kasempa districts are currently connected to the national electricity grid while the rest of districts are not.
Ms. Siliya, who is also PF Petauke Member of Parliament (MP), told parliament in a ministerial statement yesterday.
She said her ministry was spending U$S8 million on thermal power generation in the province to buy diesel to run the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) generators.
She disclosed that U$S63 million has since been set aside for the project to connect rural districts to the national grid.
The minister said Mwinilunga, Mufumbwe, Chavuma, Kabompo and Zambezi districts, including the newly created Lumwana district in North-western province and Lukulu district in Western province will be connected to the national grid by August next year.
Ms. Siliya told parliament that ZESCO has engaged Airtel Network of Sweden and Powen Zambia to work together in the electricity generation project.
She however said Zengamina mini-hydro power company in Mwinilunga district, which produces 20 megawatts within the region, is helping to generate power although it was not enough for industrial purposes.
She said the region has got abundant waterfalls where electricity can be generated from.
The minister has assured that the area will be a suitable for investment in 2017.
Ms. Siliya named the water sources as Chavuma, Chanda and Chonde falls as well as the Zambezi River.
And MMD Chavuma MP Kenneth Konga welcomed the development to electrify the entire province next year.
Mr. Konga, a former Energy minister, has since commended government for the strides it was making in the energy sector.
Yes, but all of N/Western province can’t electrified with you as energy minister, Ms Siliya.
Dora Si-liar, you recently told the nation that it will take at least three rainy seasons for the Kariba dam to recover, and the load shedding to end. Now you tell us, in the middle of load-shedding, that the whole of NW province will have power. What do you take Zambians for? ldiot, stop telling lies just to snatch a vote from unsuspecting readers.
“Dola Taangalala”, who do you takes us for?? Do you think we might be taken in like Chagwa with your sweet nothings??? Keep at it – Taangalala even wider!!
#chagwamustfall into your pit!!
The insults here from these Tongas make me wonder if Seventh day as a church preaches the true gospel of Christ. I have said so because its a fact that 90% Tongas are very religious and their church is the 7th Day Adventist. My advise is please don’t throw away your God because of HH. He is just human. Even if you don’t manage to make him President, God can still give you another good leader, who is 100 times better than HH.
Its all lies of PF relayed by visionless Dora & Poverty Found (PF). This time the Donchi Kubeba syndrome is NOT working.
Reminder to Dora & Panga Family cadres, your short legged lies have been captured by IMF. Ask Chikwanda who is now licking his filthy hands clean?
Start packing, people are exhausted with PF storybook of corruption.
2 months left!
The Skeleton Key
~206~
Says, PF is HISTORY of FAILURES.
Suntwe Wa Suntwe Matako……learn to reason before commenting. Even the opposition MP appreciated what the Minister was talking about. SHE IS NOT SAYING THAT LOAD SHEDDING WILL END IN 2017 BUT THAT NORTH WEST PROVINCE WILL BE CONNECTED TO THE NATIONAL GRIP. Do not comment on issues you do not understand. Please think using your brain not your tribe or political affiliation.
Promisory note with no fixed delivery date. I have heard this before.
To add more consumers to the already squeezed 2,300MW???
What nonsense!
Under PF we have massive load shedding! What is this woman talking about? Does she even know what is going on?
It seems that once someone joins PF they immediately lose their sanity and start hallucinating! And then they get programmed to start telling lies!
Instead of this rubbish can you tell us how and when proper power will be restored to those people and businesses THAT ARE ALREADY CONNECTED TO THE GRID???? Or is that too much for your tiny brain?
Ba Dora come to Mtendere East where load shedding is always at its peak. If I were I would rather keep quiet than yapping the nonsense you are. We know the reasons for your load shedding; you had let a lot of water out of the dam due to the crack fearing the collapsing of the dam wall. Tell the people the truth. You have compromised your integrity because you have lied to the people just like your PF government.
What a joke! By jokers…..! Just when you thought the comedians had learnt something about the ongoing load shedding, and that they would be a little more serious about tapping the water and solar their focus is to sensationalize by IMPROVING loadshedding! That’s our logical thinkers.
Comment:
may i know rumours going around. that hh paid all tv subscribe for 3month then ecl concelled.
In 2012 the late President Sata commissioned the Shiwangandu 1 MW mini hydro ($4.3m). He observed that the country’s power deficit situation was serious and therefore directed ZESCO to carry out feasibility studies to replicate the Shiwangandu mini hydro by building other mini hydros on various small rivers in the country. There are a number of small rivers and feasibility studies have been done in N/Western Province. North Western Province has one of the highest rainfall in the country unlike the semi arid areas of Eastern, Central and Southern Provinces
Cont’d. Now Siliya wants to extend the grid instead of small hydros. Is it the PF gov’t or the technocrats who are clueless? Only 5 Bomas or so are on diesel and most of them are near rivers. Taking the cost of Shiwangandu small hydro of $4.3m as a guideline would the cost of 5 small hydros. cost the equivalent of $63m which has been set aside for grid extension. The founding father directed Zesco to construct small hydros now an upstart wants grid extension People should demand for proof that the least cost solution for weaning the province off diesel generators is grid extension. What is that bill on information? I can now see its importance.
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