Zambia: ZESCO Assures Of Improved Power Supply In October

Zambia’s debilitating power supply situation is likely to improve in October, according to ZESCO.

This will certainly be good for Zambians as thousands of them have been living without a power supply for either some hours in a day or days without a power supply.

Zambia has 3,493.5 Mega-Watts (MW) of installed electricity generation capacity, of which 85 per cent is hydro-based.

Unfortunately, severe drought has affected the hydroelectric power supply in the Southwestern African nation, forcing the power distribution company, ZESCO, to implement load shredding, which has brought a lot of burden on households and businesses.

Speaking to the media earlier last week, the Managing Director of Zesco Limited, Eng Victor B. Mapani, assured Zambians that the power supply would improve in October.

Mapani, who outlined several measures being rolled out to diversify the country’s reliance on hydroelectric power, said the country is investing in the development of renewable energy sources.

He said his outfit is planning to partner with solar power developers to import solar panels and accessories at a cheaper cost.

He said one of the things they have done is asking mining firms to pull back 30 per cent of the power they consume so that this power could be channelled to consumers.

Mr. Mapani said they are expecting the Maamba coal power plant, which was shut down for maintenance since August 2024, to come online in October.

“Within the next 10 days, the Maamba power plant will come online, and we expect the power situation to improve,” he stated.

Source: https://energynewsafrica.com