Government has given the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation, ZESCO, about $US50 million as additional funds for the completion of the rehabilitation and upgrading works on generators.
Energy Minister, Kenneth Konga, said the money given under the Poverty Reduction Programmes, PRP, would help the company to complete works that are progressing well on both Kafue Gorge and Kariba North Bank power stations on schedule.
He said once the works are completed on the two stations, that the country will have an additional 210 megawatts that will lead to more efficient supply of power.
He added that the rehabilitation and upgrading works which are equivalent to the construction of Kalungushi power station at a reduced cost, would also lead to the renewal of the generating equipment.
Works on the Kafue Gorge power station are expected to be completed by December this year while those at Kariba North Bank power station would be expected March 2009.
The minister made the remarks in a ministerial statement in Parliament today on the prevailing energy situation in the country.
Mr Konga, however, said ZESCO would continue with the load shedding but at a reduced rate until the rehabilitation and up rating works are completed at reduced levels.
He urged the members of the public to further continue with the usage of the energy saving devices so as to lessen the usage of power.
He said government has made its contribution by the reduction of taxes on the energy saving devices.
He added government is promoting the construction of the Kafue Gorge Hydro power station at a cost of $US 145 billion, which will be able to generate about 750 megawatts by 2016.
Other long term projects include Kalungwishi Power station at a cost of $US 850 million to generate 210 megawatts and is expected to be completed by 2015 and Kafue North Bank 360 megawatts $US360 million project to be completed in the same year.
Further, works are the Itezhi Tezhi hydropower station $US150 million to generate 120 million and Kabompo power project to cost $US80 million be commissioned by 2014.
The minister said he is further discussing with investors on the construction of coal fired thermal plants that are expected to generate about 1000 megawatts once completed.
He said government desires to achieve economic growth of 8 per cent per annum , which the minister stated could only be attained with sufficient provision of power.
He, however, reiterated on the need for an upward adjustment of electricity tariffs.
And the minister has attributed the slow progress on the commericalisaton of ZESCO to low tariff levels.
He added that government has given the board of directors the mandate to address the company’s viability , supply levels and services.
On the companys investment in the optic fiber, the minister said the move follows the modernization of equipment at ZESCO.
He said the company wants to fully utilise the modernized equipment the excess capacity.
He stated the company is discussing with the Zambia Telecommunication, ZAMTEL, to determine on the model for usage of the system.
“He added government is promoting the construction of the Kafue Gorge Hydro power station at a cost of $US 145 billion, which will be able to generate about 750 megawatts by 2016.”!!!! Mister Editor, please, $US 145 billion! Zambia’s GDP is a fraction of this.
What is a poor nation?
Zesco bosses plaese we dont want blackouts pa zed, DONT POCKET THE MONEY.
GRZ has money and the ordinally people in the rural areas are poor.
In as much as i appreciate the efforts goverment is making towards the rehabilitation and uprating of hydro stations i still feel this is not gonna do much to solve the power problems. Moreover, any upward adjustments in electricity tareffs will only worsen the already pathetic living conditions of poor Zambians.
The solution lies in:
1. moving away from hydro energy to other cheaper sources of energy such as solar energy.
2. allowing/ incouraging investors to invest in the power sector so that ZESCO is nolonger a monoploy. that we ZESCO will be detered from unneccesarily incresing electricity tariffs without improving their services.
All the blocks of flats in kitwe’s parklands area have been bought by sisala, where does he get the money from, i think lpm is involved that’s why he cant be fired even though he is the worst zesco director,
kapaso there are banks who finance.learn to invest in property and u can use your properties to borrow more money for securing more assets.join the real estate business u will not regret.