Friday, March 29, 2024

Water in Kariba Dam and Itezhi Tezhi reservoirs improves-ZESCO

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The water levels have since fallen exposing anti-vortex beams, which are not supposed to be above the water surface
The water levels have since fallen exposing anti-vortex beams, which are not supposed to be above the water surface
Zesco Limited has acknowledged that there has been a considerable improvement in the water inflows both at Kariba Dam and Itezhi Tezhi reservoirs.

The power utility company says this can be attributed to the improved rainfall in the catchment areas for Kariba and Kafue Gorge dams towards the end of February 2016.

Zesco Acting Managing Director Fidelis Mubiana has however stated that the water levels at Kariba and Kafue Gorge reservoirs are still low to warrant increased generation especially that the water harvested during the rainy season is meant to support power generation for the whole year.

Mr. Mubiana told journalists during the media cocktail in Lusaka that at the beginning of 2016, Zambezi River Authority allocated Zesco Limited and Kariba Hydro Power Company of Zimbabwe 20 billion cubic metres of water for power generation compared to 40.2 billion cubic metres that was allocated last year.

He explains that the reduction in water allocation translates to reduced generation at Kariba from 500 mega watts last year to 275 mega watts currently.
Mr. Mubiana has also disclosed that the generation at the newly commissioned Itezhi Tezhi Hydro Power Station is at 60MW out of a capacity of 120MW saying the generation was expected to go to full capacity by May 2016 as there is a remarkable appreciation in the water at Itezhi Tezhi.

Speaking at the same function, Energy and Water Development Permanent Secretary Bishop Dr. Edward Chomba says even during the power deficit of about 1000MW, government is doing anything possible to mitigate this shortage by importing power from neighboring countries.

11 COMMENTS

  1. My compound is not affected with Load shedding because we don’t owe Zesco anything, we are warm and Dry at full capacity power 24\7. Thumbs up Zesco for Recognizing Genuine Customers who have made Zesco a viable company by paying what is due to you.

    • It’s May, end of the rain season and peak water. Yet Zambia is still experiencing 8 hours of powercuts every day. Expect this to deteriorate to 18 hours by September. And if Lungu wins, he has promised 400% electricity tariff increase. Really
      #ChagwaMustFall

  2. Mubiana, why med.ia cocktail when millions have no food, no money for Zesco to modernise and pass on the benefits to the masses? Stop this appeasement and wasteful expenditure. It is not your father’s money, nor it belongs to med.ia houses. If you want to hold a med.ia cocktail, spend from your pocket.

  3. Why is it that every time we are hearing about Zesco, it is not engineers speaking but some spokes or politician?

  4. There is no need of importing power. ZESCO is iddle, instead of promoting other sources of energy for its customers, is busy load shedding. Solar energy can be used for lighting & a little of cooking. Gas can be promoted for cooking, refrigeration, heating. Charcoal & firewood use can be reduced to braii, funeral gathering. The power saved in this way can be used by mining & other industries. People like importing so that they can get their cuts just like ZNBC which imports English Soccer from TV License fees but cant even screen a game behind its fence at Sunset Stadium.

  5. A power deficit of about 1000MW means loading shedding will be here till past next as were only guaranteed an additional 300MW for Maamba and an additional 60MW….those solar projects which haven’t set yet will only be completed by next year even then they will only produce 200MW ….GRZ has to raise the price of electricity to get private sector to invest in zambian electricity

    hope we can invest in alternatives like coal which is cheap and we have lots of it in Zambia…..solar is great but you cant build a country that hopes to industrialize on it…look at china, america, uk, japan, south afirca, india

  6. People also need clean water to run from the taps for domestic use. Its really pathetic to imagine how people maintain hygiene after defecating. Do they properly wash their hands…more so that Zambians like shaking hands kaya shuya!!!
    Give people water because water is life.

  7. There is no truth that can come from the mouth of ZESCO? How come there is only 2hrs of loadshedding in Zimbabwe when we are using the same Kariba?

  8. We really need a mind set change in this power company. How do you organize a cocktail for the media thereby incurring a huge cost in terms of hire of venue, fuel, drinks and other incidentals? How much would it have cost zesco to send a statement to all media houses and yet achieve the same results? The kulibonesha taa syndrome must stop to save on resources which can be best utilized to make the company more efficient.

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