Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya has described the country’s continued power outages as an emergency.
Ms. Siliya says Government is mobilizing more money to pay Eskom of South Africa for the importation of power.
The Chief Government spokesperson says Eskom has offered to supply Zambia with power for 6 months but that government as at now can only afford to buy power for two months.
Ms. Siliya said this when she featured on a programme dubbed ‘ Diamond Connection ‘ on Diamond Television.
She explained that from the 690 megawatts of power deficit that the country is facing, there is need to import at least 3 hundred and 50 megawatts.
Ms. Siliya said Government plans to handle the power deficits permanently when Kafue Lower Gorge power station starts producing 7 hundred and 50 megawatts and commencement of power generation at Kalungwishi power station and setting up of a power station in Luapula.
She reiterated the call for ZESCO to have cost reflective tariffs to encourage investments in the sector.
Yesterday, South Africa’s Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan revealed that ZESCO owes that country’s power utility Eskom R89m (around K81 million).
This was revealed in a parliamentary reply by Mr. Gordhan in response to a question posed by the opposition Democrat Alliance.
Mr Gordhan said Mozambique and Zimbabwe are some of the other neighboring countries that owe Eskom bringing the total debt amount to R632m.
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa Holdings) owes Eskom R322m, Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) owes R221m.
He said the three foreign state-owned power utilities owe Eskom R632m in outstanding payments.
The DA said while Gordhan may be of the view that R632m would have a minimal impact on Eskom’s cash flow, in reality every cent counted when the power utility had debt of about R420bn.
Half a billion rands is an astonishing amount of money and could, in the long term, go a long way in stabilising the financial woes at Eskom,” said DA chief whip Natasha Mazzone.
“As such, the DA has written to minister Gordhan to request that he makes public the payment plans that Eskom has with these foreign governments which owe the utility millions in unpaid debt,” she said.
She said in addition to the R632m owed by these foreign power utilities, Eskom was also owed close to R20bn in outstanding debt by municipalities across South Africa.
“Clearly Eskom is incapable of collecting debts both at home and abroad. This begs the question: does Eskom actually have plans in place to collect debts owed to it?”
“If not, the utility will never be able to stabilise its cash flow, and the taxpayer will continue to pay for bailout after bailout,” Mazzone said.
Cost reflective tariffs, what that does that even mean?
Before prepaid meters we all had post paid service with ZESCO, and they introduced prepaid meters to combat wastage and to make profits.
Since the formation of ZESCO the Zambian tax payers have been the sole investors investing in generation, transmission and distribution. In all these years ZESCO has not paid any dividends to its debenture holders/share holders – us the tax payers.
If we pay for the same cost reflective prices, can they guarantee 24/7 365 electricity say 5 years from now lake Kariba was to dry up?
At the end of everything what is going to matter is ZESCO’s ability to meet peak demands not the so called ‘cost reflective pricing’, because if they won’t be able to meet demand then they will be stealing from…
cont’d
because if they won’t be able to meet demand then they will be stealing from us the customers who happen to be the investors and taxpayers.
The sooner we realize that biggest crisis in the country is the presidency of Edgar Lungu, the better for all of us. The country is literally in ICU. I hope Edgar will announce his departure and resign today.
The Euro Bond had a chance of giving a positive out look of Zesco had that money been taken to priority areas of the company.
Zesco squandered a rare opportunity of consolidating its power generation position and must have wasted time on none critical areas.
Emergency can be defined a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.
Continued power short was expected and I still question what immediate action you’re undertaking.
Dependence on rain is the real problem haunting Government. Yeah! If only we can get enough rain.
This is like dejavu on level two. Situations at Kariba dam has been the news for years now.
PF bandits just admit you have failed no need to be explaining yourselves…just start packing and clearing your desks in your offices….its that simple
Now! NOW is when she realizes it’s an emergency? What a government
True.. they should garante 24/7 power supply in time of draught once they increase the tariff
The writings are on the wall. “Being reactive rather than proactive”. The trees kept on supporting for the axe even when it was cutting down the forest to its knees just because part of it is made out of wood.
@Thawind
Lord have mercy, I paraphrase “the tree kept cheering the axe even as it decimated the forests creating a desert in its wake” just because the axe handle is made up of wood! What wisdom! Now listen to Siliya. She said that GRZ had paid $40 million to Eskom and yet Eskom has vehemently denied that, countering that ZESCO in fact owes them R89+ million in services already rendered. Zesco also told us that there was a break down at Maamba station but Maamba set the record straight stating that Zesco in fact owes them millions. And yet, there are those like the trees here still cheering Siliya and her PF on. This is utterly flabbergasting and a pure evil vexation of the spirit.
@Warlord,
I can’t agree with you more. Indeed we have no ideal whether we’re going or coming back. its a maze.
Ho. Minister,
Emergency? What emergency? This is classic case of INCOMPETENCE coupled with 5TUPID ARROGANCE and garnished with GRAND CORRUPTION.
You have money for your never-ending travels, conferences, seminars, breakfast meetings, executive jets, intercontinental airfreight for 34 year old absolute fire engine, USD 44 million for crappy fire engines, forex for international travel, bribes for “opposition party” (LOL) leaders, 100+ cars in presidential motorcade in the morning to send-off “anointed” one to commission foreign owned shops, another 100+ cars motorcade to receive him in the evening, and yet, you cannot plan three months in advance.
I am sure that if PF will try to organise drinking party inside the brewery, it will fail.
Useless bunch of corrupt thieving liars, that…
Iwe Hul3, so you and your fellow dull cabinet ministers and that ka worst president in the world only realise now that there is a an emergency….. dull people with no plan, that is what Zambians have on their hands, a sad tell…. PFoools all of them combined in that parliament of baboons have less IQ than a grade 0
IT APPEARS THESE GOONS WHO HAVE DUNUNA’D, STOLEN, & HAVE BEEN NURSING DAILY HANGOVERS SINCE COMING TO POWER ARE NOW REALISING THE GRAVITY OF GOVERNING CHIPANTE PANTE MWIBALA STYLE!!
Reality is slow dawning, & all the denials these crooks put up in the past are surely unraveling.
Politics, & running Government te ya baiche iyo, or for crooks pimps, & pirates, & visionless speculators!!
THE RATS WILL NOW SLOWLY START DESERTING THE BWATO, & POSITION THEMSELVES FOR THE MOST LIKELY SET UP TO TAKE OVER FROM THESE P.F CRANK’S.
Incompetent, reckless miscreants muscarading as leaders. No foresight,the only plans they have are on stealing!Why can’t they explain ZESCO’s financial position,what they have done with 75% tariff increament before introducting another whopping 113% increase.Mentioning Kafue,Kalungwishi,Luapula which are all hydro,vulnarable to climate but leaving out solar,coal and wind as means to ending loadshedding does NOT show any wisdom! Very hopeless!!
We have immidiate power solutions and we can bring in units that can give us 300MW
But the problem we face up to now is that Govt do not want to engage local zambian companies unless foreign companies
This has been established in various effoets we make to help our Nation but ministries are a hindrance to our efforts
We have solutions for this nations including finances.
There is no short of brians to meet the challenges we facing as a country
As BR Mumb@ says “LET’S ROLL”!!!!
DORA KANINTUNDILA SILA ARE U OK? CZ U ARE A BIG FOOL. DON’T TAKE ZAMBIANS TO BE FOOLS. WERE U NOT BRGGING THAT U ARE BUYING POWER FROM ESCOM KANSHI U OWE THEM. WHAT WOULD BE WRONG OF U TO TELL THE TRUTH? YOU,HAVE FAILED US THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE. BETTER YOU RETIRE ON NATIONAL INTEREST.
On this president God has given us all the signals, we are just a stiff nacked people, otherwise God has done his part to show us that we have a failure in the high house, the goodness with God is that he always gives opportunities and he is giving us 2021 and an opportunity to correct what has been wrong, it is up to us as Chambians to bring our country back, This Dununa Presido, no bwino bwino.
Nothing to do with God mune!!
You vote for marrabish Corrupt debarred L@wyer who TOLD YOU, “I HAVE NO VISION, BUT WILL ENTERTAIN YOU BY BEING HUMBLE, & DANCING KANSELELE EVERY DAY” & you dumb Zedians still went ahead, & voted twice for this Charlatan.
Manje mwa believa, mwayamba kulilia?? You sow Carrots, DON’T expect to reap Onions!!!
I lost interest to listen to what Dola says. She speaks what she thinks it should be and not what it is on the ground. Just last week she said government paid $40m and power will be available in two weeks. I wonder if anyone can trust government anymore. Too many twists and turn. Just this week Mukebi and tutwa say HH sold LZ, Muskwa denies it. Same government with different sale versions.
@Thorn in the flesh, tell your auntie d0$$ only emergency Zambia has is PF ‘Kuya bebele’. Pathetic imbuto.
90% of all bloggers here simply laying blame on the Government for their failures, actually voted them into power. Now you’re eating what you voted for! Next time think before you vote, instead of just simply voting for your tribe, think and judge as to who may provide the best leadership, with a good understanding of business and economics. You can’t expect someone who has never owned his own business, or someone who has failed to make a success in business to manage the affairs of our great country. Managing the affairs of a country successfully, requires an individual with a good understanding of business and more important, needs to be someone who is VERY DISCIPLINED. Do you really think the likes of Kambwiili and some of these other characters floating around can manage. That will…
Madam dora we dont want to listen
About emergency. Why did you not
Forsee this emergency?You did Forsee fire trucks,presidential jet,
And other non important issues.
like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Total SUICIDE!!!
@Mumba
Indeed. Or as the late Joseph Hill also added like jumping from a car na run go ina trailer! We really jumped from a frying pan with hot cooking into the fire! Let’s “enjoy” our f00lish ways.
We told them…..they are too lazy to work
By now Zambia should have had one of the most forward solar generation manufacturing industries driving domestic soar usage toward 80% and high exports with thousands of jobs.
Trees in catchment areas would have been saved from malasha
Endless lies and deceit. It seems there is no limit to lies from PF to the sleeping Zambians. We are just too tolerant and people can lie using any avenue of their choice. To day this tomorrow that and the lies does not seem to come to an end.
I agree with Musamba when she says:
“PF Government lie: Government to pay $20 million to Maamba Collieries Limited for ZESCO Arrears next week, Finance Minister.
PF Government: We have made a deal with Eskom for the supply of electricity. Zambia to import 300 MW power from Eskom for 6 months.
Eskom: No true. We have no such deal with Zambian government. Actually, Zambia still owes us tens of millions for the supply of electricity in 2015/16.
What a disaster!!!!
Total electricity demand = Total gross generation less own use in generation, plus net trade (imports less exports), less losses from transmission and distribution
Or alternatively put Total electricity demand = TFC electricity demand (Industry, Residential, Services, Transport, Agriculture) plus electricity from transformation industries (other energy sector) excluding any own use for generation and distribution losses
Unless we expand the energy mix in these climate risk reliable technologies we shall be exposed to costly GAS power importation There was a similar drought in 2015 and we were exposed We need to Invest in diverse energy mix that is climate resilient and cheaper There will ever be some deficits by…
nature of power (grid) generated Solar pv is cheaper 32 USD per MW ,GAS peaking expensive at USD 150 per MW,Nuclear expensive at USD 199 per Mw,Coal between 78 and 150 Mw expensive,GAS combined cycle (eskom) expensive between 44 USD an USD 72 Mw then add wheeling and those utility cost profiles it becomes expensively so for SDG 7 attainment
The government is a hurry to develop this country and that is our duty as citizens to tie hands and work with the government of the day.
God bless.
Another brain-washed member of Plunderers Federation intelligentsia (LOL) has parroted official deceit.
And this moron has courage to repeat same crap again?
The government is a hurry to develop this country and that is our duty as citizens to tie hands and work with the government of the day.
God bless you all
F@@k off which government?
Iwe how does one work with tied hands? Even if you give this government red bull it still won’t develop wings. No matter how many times you give this government leakage it still won’t pass.
The government is tiredless trying to improve the electricity crisis and on the other hand we must hope for the best and trust in the government of the day. For we all know the importion of Power in our daily life
F@@k off which government? Are you out of your mind?
power outages are an emergency??? Since when and where in the world?? Amazing. The most shocking statement I have heard in the world coming from a ministers. Anyway I did not appoint her
power outages are an emergency??? Since when and where in the world?? Amazing. The most shocking statement I have heard in the world coming from a minister. Anyway I did not appoint her
Ati “Zesco powering the nation and the region”. Honestly are you powering the nation? No!! Therefore it goes without saying that you cannot even power the region!!
“”The Chief Government spokesperson says Eskom has offered to supply Zambia with power for 6 months but that government as at now can only afford to buy power for two months””.
This statement makes me more nervous than before, we heading towards a situation where load shedding will be increased from 15hrs to 24hrs. This is a wake up call for Voting blindly even though the writing was in bold letters on the wall.
Where there is no VISION the people perish. If this government had any vision it would have invested heavily part of the two Eurobonds into Solar Energy farming to generate electricity to supplement hydro electricity and also export the surplus. Zambia is blessed with abundance of solar energy.
The single biggest crisis in Zambia today is ECL/PF
Remove this and we are at a better place, keep voting on tribal lines than enjoy worse to come