Zambia: Zesco Extends Load Shedding Time From Six To 12 Hours

Zambia’s power utility company, Zesco, has extended the ongoing power rationing from the initial six hours to 12 hours owing to the reduced water levels in the Kariba Reservoir.

The company announced a six-hour load shedding beginning last Tuesday 3rd January through to 25th January 2023.

However, the company in an update on Wednesday, 4th January, said it had adjusted the load-shedding hours from six hours to 12 hours daily until further notice.

“The Corporation’s ability to meet power demand remains constrained by the drastic reduction in available water in the Kariba Reservoir for electricity generation at the Kariba North Bank Power Station. At present, the power station’s generating capacity has been reduced from its installed 1080MegaWatts (MW) to below 400MW,” reads the statement in parts.

The firm, furthermore, states that the removal of a 150MW generator at Maamba Collieries Limited Power Plant for routine annual maintenance from 4th January until 20th January 2023 has exacerbated the situation.

“ZESCO deeply regrets the inconvenience that will be caused,” the statement reads.

This is the second time in just a few years that Zambia has had to introduce 12-hour daily load-shedding cycles.

Zimbabwe is in the same boat (actually even worse) as the power company there has had to implement 18 to 20 hour load-shedding in 2019 and again from late last year up till now.

Further south, South Africa has also been implementing load-shedding for several hours a day due to frequent breakdowns at its ageing coal power plants.

The Southern African region is facing a serious electricity crisis and needs to start working on some urgent solutions.

Source: https://energynewsafrica.com