ZESCO has increased its generation to 710 megawatts from 400 and will reduce load shedding after removing some of the dead weed that had blocked the water intake at Kafue Gorge power station.
Zesco acting managing director, Musonda Chibulu, said at a media briefing that the generation capacity, which had declined to 400 megawatts rose to 710 megawatts after the removal of dead weed known as hippo grass and water hyacinth.
The Kafue Gorge power station, Zambia’s largest power plant, has capacity to generate 990 megawatts.
Mr Chibulu said investigations revealed that the partially blocked water intake was as a result of an unusually high flow of dead weed from the Kafue River.
He said large amounts of weed suspended under the water surface found its way to the trash rack and in the process blocked normal water flow into the tunnels.
He explained that the station was designed with a protective screen to prevent floating weed from entering the inlet to the tunnels.
Some of the dead weed had signs of having been cut by sharp instruments such as machetes which contributed to the blockage of the tunnels.
Mr Chibulu said the weed accumulations were normally removed by a mechanical basket but the weeds were stuck to the trash rack and could not be moved in the usual way.
He said the company had to shut down the station on Tuesday night to facilitate inspection by a camera and removal of the weed which was entangled in the trash rack.
He said another shutdown was carried out on Wednesday from 23:00 hours to 04:00 hours and the exercise improved the water flow, which resulted in increased power generation.
Zesco had raised its power imports from Zimbabwe, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo to 500 megawatts after switching off machines at Kafue Gorge on Wednesday to allow workers to remove the weed.
Mr Chibulu said the Zambia Army was requested to provide divers and equipment to carry out further works to ensure thorough cleaning.
The power deficit resulted in extensive load shedding throughout the country and to mitigate it, Zesco had to import 250 megawatts of power at U$S260,000 per day.
Zesco director of generation, Christopher Nthala, said with increased generation of electricity at Kafue Gorge and Kariba North Bank, the company expected to reduce load shedding.
He said the total power generation would reach 1,630 megawatts once Kafue Gorge is fully operational.
The country’s total power demand after some copper mines suspended production in 2008 now stands at 1,450 megawatts.
Mr Nthala said currently the company was supplying 480 megawatts of electricity to the mines but the companies were asked to reduce production by 80 megawatts.
[Times of Zambia]
