ZESCO Board Chairman Mbita Chitala says the construction works at the Kafue Gorge Lower are at 96 percent and is expected to start operations in September this year.
Dr. Chitala has told ZNBC News in an interview that the Kafue gorge lower is expected to generate over 750 megawatts once it becomes operational and will reduce the load shedding hours.
He further said the delay in the plant being complete is due to the COVID -19 that has not only affected Zambia but the globe further stating that among the issues is the contractor Sino hydro went on break in China and have NOT come back since.
And Dr. Chitala said Government availed 186 million US dollars from the Eurobond to ZESCO which was directed to the construction of the Kafue Gorge lower.
He said the institution has also sourced for funds to help the company meet the target of the construction of the Kafue lower gorge which is 500 million US dollars.
The ZESCO Board Chairperson further said the company is in negotiations with various pensions fund to help come on board and give financial support to the project.
Dr. Chitala said for now the country will continue to experience 10 to 12 hours load shedding because water levels at Kariba dam are still low.
He said the utility company has also diversified its power generation to other sources of energy so that the country is not only reliant on hydropower.
Excellent. I did say on a post last week on which diasporans were unsurprisingly slating and insulting us, that there was need to exercise patience. Remember I said that its best to suffer now with minor loadsheddinf and then gain long term with more reliable power due to increased capacity. Let the diasporans choke with hate and anger. Kz
ZESCO Board Chairman Mbita Chitala says the construction works at the Kafue Gorge Lower are at 96 percent and is expected to start operations in September this year.
WHATS THIS REMAING 4% WE ARE WAITING FOR TILL SEPT? I THIS 4% CAN BE BROUGHT IN THE COUNTRY AND BE QUARANTINED AT KAFUE GORGE LOWER WHILE THEY WORK, WE NEED POWER ASAP .
This is bla bla…! There is something you are hiding bwana Chitala.We were told Eurobond money went to improve power distrubution system now it went Lower Kafue? At the beginning we never heard of need for local financing,we were told China had financed the whole project on loan
But last year when you wanted to increase the tarrifs by 200% you told us that there will be no loadshedding once the tarrifs go up and thats when you said the project in question will be complete by april , may this year. Now 3 months later the load shedding is back with the new tarrifs and the kafue gorge project will now be completed in September. So meanwhile i suggest whilst you want to start load shedding, why dont we reduce the tarrifs back to what they were in December.
Baffikala ba zesco ma T bonse fye.
…continued : Now you are knocking on local financial institutions to chip in! May funds is the main reason Chinese Engineers have gone forever! The Chinese have a contract,there country lifted travel restrictions 3 weeks now! If there is nothing else but Chinese Engineers,their Ambassodor is here,tell him to call them back.They can come,be quarantined and then start work thereafter! September is too far to keep us on extended loadshedding!
haha due to covid19 perfect scapegoat as usual this will be the trend since climate change is in dispute with floods across the country
Atase, Derrick Chitala has no shameto engage in “sebana wikute”. He wrote that piece last week claiming Zambia still has capacity to contract more foreign debt and hardly did I know he seats on the ZESCO board! This voodoo economics they learn by candle light, now even the IMF says Zambia does not qualify, kunya you red lipped snake, come 2021 you will be jobless with that fake PhD of yours, silly Mbala Mafia.
Something fishy here! The project was initially $1.5bn,PF suspended it,then restarted at a cost of $2bn. We were told that it was all to be financed by China,now we are told ZESCO is knocking on local financial institutions to raise money to complete the financial gap! Where has the money gone?Why did the cost jump to $2bn? Where did the extra $500m come from? Is that the missing money that has stalled the project?These guys have a lot to answer for!!
Look above how annoyed the diasporans are that operations are to start in September. The f.o.ols don’t even live here yet they are upset about a positive development which we zambians have been looking forward to. You will die of sadness. We know uko ku diaspora that mental health is very serious.i had a good friend there who took his own life. He just became sad with himself and took it out on his wife. His madam had enough and ended up sleeping with his brother. He walked in on them. Days later he took his own life. Ku diaspora things are tough. Kz
ever since KZ came on LT even their news is now trash
The next President whoever he ll be(100% wont be Lungu) his first day in office he must spend it at Zesco HQ. And first month in office,tour all Zesco projects around the country.
Ba Derick Chitala is a PF cadre, small wonder he sees light in a corrupt PF regime, anyway Mbala mafias have never impressed Zambians.
As for KZ fate awaits what he has sewn in the last few years harassing Zambians, beating, kidnapping, shooting innocent public, maiming and false imprisonment dehumanising Zambians. Zambians deserve justice. All evidence is available in records and living victims and witnesses will be in his face in prosecution for justice.
Septeber is near the corner hh will have nothing to campain for coz that means the hrs of loadsheadin will be reduced, mind you no voter regstration for now so that means all major projects will be commisioned on time,hakainde will vote for himself.
Not a surprise to why Zambia is in a such mess, Mbita Chitala as board chairman of Zambia’s power utility company ZESCO. These are the men whom I was talking about yesterday to be fired in these parastals. They are just gobbling sitting allowances and awarding their friends tenders. He is just ranting here.
Flashback; ” PRESIDENT Banda yesterday commissioned the construction of the US$2 billion Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro-electric Power Station which will add 750 megawatts of power to the national grid once completed in 2017 ”
The PF halted this project when they came to power. Then talked of funding when it was resumed and there is still talk in this article of more funds needed to finish it. Do you catch my drift?
Ba Mbita nabo awe sure. The man is at sea in a compex industry like this.
And notice that Zesco managing director Victor Mundende never attends any briefing by the Zesco Board “chairman” Mbita Chitala. He always delegates that daft lawyer whats his name? Obviously Zesco Board chair is employed by Mundende not the way round. But Mbita is not alone reporting to Mundende, even Nkhuwa does. But I never saw Mundende being sworn in at State House as ministers supervisor, did I miss the ceremony when it occurred?
This man is talking out his *** just saying things to appease the boss. If Chink Engineers and middle managers are still in China how has he come up with September completion date…its all lies after lies.
But why not pay local IPPs money owed and get power from them. I hear Lunsemfwa Hydro Power is not generating because ZESCO owes them 52 million dollars. This is a potential 56MW which is not being generated because ZESCO don’t pay bills.
Ubufi bweka bweka. Can you trust anything coming out of ZESCO? No! Not even their electricity is trustworthy. Thats why you dont have it for 12 hours a day.
Just for 4% we wait till September?
Just hire a jet to bring those workers
From China still it would turn out cheap.zambians are desperate for
Power.
Chairman from northern while Mr nkuwa eastern what a nice tribalism .Zambia has surpassed all tribalist countries in the world is now number one under our humble leader, as claimed by two provinces northern and eastern
I prefer listening to an engineer on such a highly technical job – Not this laundered politician Derrick Chitala please with his chilling dark past!!!
Bla bla. Fyonse nabalanda abantu. Mean with truth.