The 300 MW coal-fired power plant of Maamba Collieries Limited has resumed full capacity operations and is supplying the full contracted power to ZESCO.
The country’s largest independent power producer is now supplying almost 25 percent of the nation’s power, based on the estimated 1,080 MW of power currently being distributed in Zambia.
“We are happy to inform that both 150 MW power units at Maamba Collieries are now running at their full capacity thanks to sustained efforts by the management with the equipment suppliers, despite being hampered by lack of funds”, said Chief Executive Officer Rear Admiral Venkat Shankar.
While referring to the recent shutdowns reported in the media, he added that the modern, eco-friendly coal-fired power plant – the only one of its kind in Zambia – is complex, and due to the nature of its operations, needs periodic robust maintenance and specialised technical support, which comes at high costs and cannot be ignored if production is to be assured. He added that MCL has been facing challenges on this account due to shortfall of funds.
In this context, the CEO said the recent tariff revision augurs well for the energy industry in Zambia as it should allow ZESCO to make timely payments to its power suppliers like Maamba Collieries, which would ensure proactive maintenance of the power plant and improve availability of power.
The present shortage of rainfall in the country has reduced the power generation capacity from ZESCO hydro plants drastically, and energy producers like Maamba Collieries, which are not dependent on rainfall, play a key role in the managing energy deficit using resources available in Zambia without recourse to imports.
Meanwhile, Maamba Collieries will be working with ZESCO to ensure schedules for mandatory major overhauls are adjusted as far as possible to accommodate ZESCO’s requirement of power and to minimise disruption of the nation’s energy supply, the company added.
Rear Admiral Shankar said: “While the last few months have been very challenging for Maamba Collieries due to shortfall in funds, we will strive to provide uninterrupted power to ZESCO, which will reduce the effects of the current electricity deficit. MCL supplying full output capacity, barring scheduled maintenance breaks, can be a reality in the coming months with ZESCO meeting its payment obligations to MCL in full on the back of additional revenue from the tariff revision and the continued support of Government.”.
Finance Minister Dr Bwalya Ng’andu and Energy Minister Matthew Nkhuwa inspected the Maamba Collieries plant on November 2, 2019, to obtain a better understanding of the operations of the thermal power plant and the challenges faced.
Hatweende, bane!!!
The loadshedding hours were increased after maamba reduced production now since they are doing a 100%, we expect reduction of loadshedding by power gone, I hope loadshedding hours have not taken on the characteristics of fuel prices and bus fares whose only characteristic is upward adjustment.
A hardworking pf government which believes in action based development rather than Facebook posts like one well known opposition demigod. We are working tirelessly to fight climate change and ensure in the time being that everyone has adequate supply of energy. Look I have nothing against social media politics but for me I keep my Facebook for mostly private sentiments. You can add me on Facebook under kaizar zulu. Have a good weekend
At a time like this, you still want to use paper, you keep cutting down forests for more paper,and you claim you got ideas on how to fight climate change, baba just follow HH on Twitter you will be amazed about his plans, apart from just canvassing for votes in townships, he knows most millenials are social media freaks.
Please, your government has been in office for over 8 years now and you have achieved nothing significant!
Comment:Ba Kaizar Zulu….give us a break…shut up ! we know who you are… you never talked about these things when you were in State House… you just beat pipo and drunk MOZI
Government finally paid?
Ben muti I am still in state house and my choice of drink is actually gin and tonic. Too many calories in beer.although I do drink beer but very rarely. What is your choice of drink? Kz
Drunkards mu state House?
South Africa 2020 January: Eskom board chair resigns over LOAD SHEDDING.
Zambia 2021: No LOAD SHEDDING – Lungu board continues to chair. HH board resigns and swims in river of tears.
2021
Commissioning of a Newly built Ndola – Lusaka Dual Carriage Way
Commissioning of a Newly built Bridges
Commissioning of a Newly Built Police Post
Commissioning of a Newly Built Hospitals
Commissioning of a Newly built Airports
Commissioning of a Newly built Malls
No shortage of drugs
Kapiri council clears historic garbage
UNZA to get new Lecture Theaters etc
PF Government has Failed to Deliver – Anthony Bwalwa UPND, Excuse me!
GRZ were happy with the load shedding while they refused to pay mamba the owed money, only by going to the press to say why they could not generate full power did GRZ act……very short sighted government.
And by the way ZESCO ,you better tell PF to come up with a better explanation as to how $930 million was spent on transmission, equating to $150 million per year since 2014 you say. ???
Did you have to renew the whole transmission of Zambia. ?
KZ, nice one! What is bizarre is that over 85% of the average Zambian is a drinker (including those calling you a drunk!), yet our opposition and their donkeys above want to make PF supporters and members look like sinners and drunks. What’s good for them is bad for you, only they are righteous.
Its a coincidence that electricity tariffs have been hiked and all of the sudden maamba is fixed. interesting
Don’t you smell something fishy brethren
ZESCO owed mamba $20 million, they were rightly holding out carry on with critical maintenance because they were not being paid by ZESCO. only going to the press rattled GRZ into pay up.
Can CEC please get to this level please.
@Thorn in the a$$ – you are just showing how dull you are CEC not only generates, but is involved in distribution and transmission of electricity. Maamba is solely involved in thermal power generation.
CEC missed this opportunity.
To begin with, claiming that coal powered electricity is eco friendly is nonsense, there is a lot of harmful emissions from that.
Alas, better to have power than none I suppose. I urge to responsible people to invest in solar plants. It’s a wonder why we haven’t done so, since we claim it’s getting hotter.
In the same context, Kaizer cannot now claim that the government is fighting climate change, when only less than 1 percent of the National budget is dedicated to that.
If you will heap most of the blame on climate change, you must give it the attention that it may need.
Selah.
“In this context, the CEO said the recent tariff revision augurs well for the energy industry in Zambia as it should allow ZESCO to make timely payments to its power suppliers like Maamba Collieries, which would ensure proactive maintenance of the power plant and improve availability of power”
It seems this Maamba Collieries CEO doesn’t know the true story about ZESCO, let me tell you this Rear Admiral Venkat Shankar even if tariffd were increased by 1000% you will still not be paid on time as that compnay is poorly run and any little profit it makes ends up at Ministry of Finance on top of that all contracts are handed to cadres at inflated rates so you will soon be forced to switch off the other turbines due to non payment. If I were them I would be talking to neighbouring countries…
He is also telling lies saying his burners are eco-friendly and yes its the only one of its kind in Zambia as there are no other thermal plants of that size in the country but dont cheat people that burning coal is eco-friendly.
LT, your reply button is not working……
All this means is that government has paid what it owed to maamba or at least made a commitment to pay and therefore maamba has started supplying electricity back into the grid. If government defaults again then there will be another “technical ” problem at the plant.
It seems LT is holiday today, is there a public holiday in Zambia? We know how lazy chaps are in our motherland, no updating of LT whatsoever today only Kz aka sick imbecile N£z has infiltrated the platform if only some people would put their brains to good use rather than impersonating others. Their life must be very borring and dull as they lack creativity.
It seems LT is holiday today, is there a public holiday in Zambia? We know how lazy chaps are in our motherland, no updating of LT whatsoever today only Kz aka sick imb%cile N£z has infiltrated the platform if only some people would put their brains to good use rather than impersonating others. Their life must be very borring and dull as they lack creativity.
You have not said a single progressive thing. Typical of upnd members. They discuss personality while we discuss ideas. 2021 6th loss
You mean no Zambian can do what the Chinese in the picture are doing ie play with a mouse?
How many Thermal plants are there in Zambia..that’s a specialist job
New site layout
“In this context, the CEO said the recent tariff revision augurs well for the energy industry in Zambia as it should allow ZESCO to make timely payments to its power suppliers like Maamba Collieries, which would ensure proactive maintenance of the power plant and improve availability of power.”
That CEO has clever language ‘should allow’ ZESCO to make timely payments, he is holding government to their own word.
But the truth is that Zesco already makes enough money from mining revenues to pay Maamba. The problem is that they have other “strategic” priorities. Remember that it is a company full of “strategies” and they have a fully fledged department for that.
And Maamba was born yesterday little grey matter much white
More money in your pocket
Lower taxes
Cheap mealie meal
More I jobs
Good news
Good one
Rear Admiral is a rank in the Navy, which Zambia does not have, and is equivalent to a Major General in the Army. What took you so long to repair your generator set when Zambia was in an energy crisis.
Why repair the generator when you are not being paid on time? Maamba Collieries is a private company not a PF cash cow like ZESCO
Tarino Orange. ZESCO generates and not CEC. ZESCO supplies CEC with electricity.
Less employment, more poverty in Zambia, more hunger, more arrest, more caders injured during by elections, less salaries, high cost of fuel,toll gate, electricity, high cost of staple food, shortage of drugs, useless kwacha, loadshadings. what good thing this is worst government.