Company director of finance Saidi Chimya said in an interview on Tuesday that Zesco has been importing power from Eskom of South Africa, Karpower Ship, EDM and Aggreko.
Zesco managing director Victor Mundende said the power utility will assess whether there will be need to extend emergency power import contracts.
“However, the outlook seems to be bright because we have been receiving favourable rainfall and we pray that this continues,” he said.
Government says load-shedding will end next year following numerous interventions
Mr Mundende also said Zesco has embarked on other projects to boost electricity supply, one of them being a solar project with Industrial Development Corporation to construct a plant that will generate 100 megawatts (MW) of power.
Mr Mundende also said there are two firms working on generating power using wind energy in the northern part of the country.
“These companies are currently carrying out feasibility studies and so far, there are promising results. It will be a plus for us if we have a mix in generation. We need other sources other than hydro,” he said.
Mr Mundende also said there are four sites along Luapula River where Zesco is expected to get 1,200MW.
“With all these projects, we are focused to be a power hub,” he said.
And how much did they make from the collections of there services.
Zesco has been importing power from Eskom of South Africa, Karpower Ship, EDM and Aggreko.
This is the cost of an incompetent government and greedy, visionless, clueless leaders!
This is why Zambians will remain poor for years to come.
We have the natural resources to be a powerhouse of the region and EXPORT power, but with people only interested in stealing borrowed money to enrich themselves, this is what happens!
I wish the ZESCO MD could be more specific on the projects. I wanted to hear more about Itezhi tezhi and that company we were told was going to produce 600 megawatts. Not feasibility studies.
You add corruption that figure goes up to $300m….this is money that could have been invested in Solar energy.
Very weird talk from the ZESCO MD! We have had this crisis since 2015, running in two years and ALL HE CAN TELL US are things that HAVE BEEN ON THE DRAWING BOARD FOR AGES and evading to EXPLAIN THE ACTUAL COST OF THE IMPORTED POWER per each supplier! If there is 1200 MW potential on Luapula River, so what? Is that going to end load shedding when no one is constructing anything yet and its even more complicated as it has to be shared the DRC? WHY not TELL US WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH MAAMBA THERMAL, ITEZHI-TEZHI (Zesco & Tata Joint venture), progress on LOWER KAFUE, SOLAR even from independent producers etc. TALK,TALK, TALK WITHOUT CLARITY TO HIDE GOVT INTERFERENCE and their INCOMPETENCE TO DEAL WITH THE REAL PROBLEM!
If this stuupid PF had not cancelled Kafue Lower Gorge in 2011 Zambia would be exporting power now!
So after five years, and counting, PF incompetence and ignorance has COST THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA 1.25 BILLION DOLLARS!
And now after lazy Lungu finally wakes up from his Jamesoni hangover we will have to wait another four years for it to be completed.
More than TWO BILLION DOLLARS WASTED! Is this what they claim is “development”??????
Have fun,me am living in a foreign land.Stress free.I comment from my laptop anytime 24/7.Because whilst in Zambia last year,we told people that you ve seen all about chakolwa for yourself,give him statehouse again and you will suffer alone,some of us will fly high.This is exactly what is happening now.Buena petty!!!