The Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPCCI) has urged the government to consider establishing a power interconnector with Mozambique in order to access regional electricity benefits.
EPCCI president Thomas Mtonga, says there is a need for the government to put up the power interconnectivity infrastructure in order to easily access electricity to support economic activities across the country.
ZANIS reports that Mr Mtonga said Mozambique’s Cabora Bassa Power station is ideal for the establishment of a power interconnector to help Zambia and Malawi access power imports for domestic use.
He observed that the energy crisis the country is facing has demonstrated that the power interconnector should have been established much earlier to address the current deficit.
“We have a shortage of power and there is a need for the government to build a power interconnector with Mozambique, so that we can support industries in the eastern region as well as the country” said Mr Mtonga.
Stakeholders feel that with Zambia experiencing an energy crisis due to a devastating climate change effects on power generation and rising demand for industrial and domestic consumption, electricity imports from Mozambique are expected to rise.
Historian Euston Chiputa, also urged the government to establish power interconnectors with Mozambique in order to benefit from regional power interconnectivity benefits.
He explained that power interconnectors are cardinal in making electricity available within the region to drive economic activities.
Dr Chiputa noted that due to the absence of a power connector with Tanzania, Zambia has not been able to access electricity that Tanzania was willing to offer Zambia.
“We need to exchange and benefit from electricity benefits in the region. So we need the power interconnectors with Mozambique and Tanzania, just as we have with Zimbabwe and DRC, Botswana”said Dr Chiputa.
Dr Chiputa commended the government for securing US$15 million for the establishment of a power interconnector with Tanzania.
Zambia is facing an energy crisis that has seen the government roll out various interventions among them promotion of alternative energy sources such as solar energy and liquefied petroleum gas and investments into solar plants and other hydro power stations.
President Hakainde Hichilema announced on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 that the British government has offered Zambia US$15 Million financial support towards the Establishment of a power interconnector between Zambia and Tanzania.
Meanwhile, Mr Mtonga pointed out that Zambia and Mozambique need to actualize and enhance trade agreements to benefit people of the two countries through scaled up trade and investments.
He cited the Development Triangle initiative for Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique as being paramount in promoting trade and development for the three countries.
Mr Mtonga said the Nacala Corridor needs to be made a serious trade route to spur trade, investment and economic benefits to the three countries.
The Southern Africa Power Pool enables the region to export power to member countries. It’s the same that enables Eskom to export power to Malawi and Zambia to import from Mozambique. There’s no need to construct another directly to Mozambique. Such lines exist in some border towns like Chama and Kazungula. The facility through Zimbabwe is enough. Why should we incur another cost? These aren’t small projects
Let government expedite in connecting the
Power interconnecter to Mozambique and
Tanzania so load shedding can be minimised.
Really? Minimised where? Isnt Mozambique affected by El Nino?
Always waking up when its too late
2025 we will still be strugling
It sucks to be a Zambian.
GRZ urged to bring new top management in
we have had enough of their lies and deceit
Ba LT stop talking to yourselves. Speak to your readers! What is a a power interconnector? Explain it for your lay readers.
You spend five paragraphs just talking about the need for one thing(power connector) without explaining what it is.
Fire fighting planning is not good. We should have seen the need to diversify power supply sources long time ago. We should have also seen the need to put hydro power station in high rainfall areas. There is potential to have power generating plats along the Kalungwishi River. The same is also true about Chilinga River in Eastern Province. Is it that too much poverty has deprived us power to think. Have Zambian Governments restricted deliberately the thinking and planning space for citizens.