
Zesco Managing Director, Ernest Mupwaya has said Zesco plans to connect 6000 new customers every month in order to increase electricity access from 22 per cent to 50 per cent by 2030 as mandated in the Rural Electrification Master Plan.
Mr.Mupwaya said Zesco has so far progressed well towards the realization of the 2030 Vision in the energy sector.
He was speaking during a presentation at a stakeholder’s meeting at Fallsway Lodge in Livingstone recently.
Mr.Mupyawa said the World Bank has invested about US$75Million(K3.6Bn) in the Increased Electricity Access Project.
The projects would result in a total number of 65,000 new customers and benefit about 550,000 inhabitants in rural areas.
“The project is expected to provide service to over 65,000 new customers including households, public facilities, and commercial establishments, benefiting a total population of 550,000 rural inhabitants,” he said.
Mr.Mupwaya said Zesco also planning to make rehabilitation works at some of the substations in order to ease overload and subsequently reduce load shedding.
In Southern Province about 25 hectares of land has been secured for installation projects around Livingstone and the surrounding areas.
Meanwhile Southern Province Minister, Elijah Muchima has disclosed that rural electrification projects in the Southern Province have reached an advanced stage.
Mr Muchima said so far about K400Million has been spent on the electrification of Sinazongwe’s Chief Mweemba’s Area, one of the parts of the country that has not been developed in a long time.
Mr.Muchima was speaking when he toured Sinazongwe last week.
And Livingstone Energy Consumer Watch Group Coordinator, Reverend Paul Banda has said Energy Regulation Boards (ERB)’s Tariff Adjustment proposal on electricity is justified.
He said consumers in Livingstone have no problems with the 22 per cent tariff increase by Zesco as it is still lowest in the Southern Region.
He however advised Zesco to match the increase with the service in order to convince the consumers.