The generation of electricity has drastically reduced at Lunzua Hydro Power Station in Mpulungu District of Northern Province from 14.8 Megawatts to 3 Megawatts.
Speaking during a stakeholder’s engagement held in Mpulungu, Northern Province Minister, Leonard Mbao said the government is concerned with the current situation at the power plant.
Mr Mbao noted that there is an urgent need to address the situation.
He said that the drastic reduction of power generation is worrying as it has affected various sectors of the economy in the region.
The Provincial Minister said it is unfortunate that despite the area being endowed with massive water bodies, the situation has persisted from the time the power plant was commissioned in 2015.
Mr Mbao has since called on Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO Limited) to find a lasting solution to the problem.
And ZESCO Limited Deputy Director for Power Generation, Royd Chijikwa attributed the reduction in power generation to the low flow of water from the Lunzua stream.
Mr Chijikwa noted that the power station cannot operate at full capacity as a result of the low water levels
He added that during this period of the year, a number of power plants in the country reduce generation of power due to low water levels.
Mr Chijikwa was however quick to disclose that the power utility company is doing everything possible to improve the generation capacity at Lunzua Hydro Power Station.
He added that the power utility company will also take advantage of various streams in the area to rectify the situation.
Speaking earlier, Water Resources and Management Authority –WARMA Catchment Manager, Mwiza Muzumara said the adverse effects of climate change has contributed to reduced water levels across the region.
Engineer Muzumara has since called on various stakeholders to get involved in the fight against climate change to heighten mitigation.
Let us just fold our arms and wait for the Chinese….The Arabs…The Americans…the Israelis to come and sort out all our problems
AHH at last you accept we cant manage our own affairs
He is passing a cynical point. Cant u read the mood of his post?
Was nt this foreseen by the engineers? If not why? So we could continue to rely on foreign expertise?
Lunzuwa dam is on what river?
Lunzua is a stream draining into Lake Tanganyika
Where are our engineers and scientists? Zambia has the most water in sadc and some Zesco man says there’s low flow of water! We should have devised means of storing our huge water reserves and we would even be exporting it.
South Africa and Botswana would be a big market but we have no political leadership to think along these lines and to initiate the science and engineering. We Africans think China’s engineering feats dropped from heaven. They worked.
Dont give credit where its not due does he even know the meaning of cynical
Read past posts to get to know this chap
@Tikki
Your boss the Supreme leader Ayatollah Hakainde Hichilema the Bandit President had a the solutions whist in opposition….talk is cheap…Chipante pante….lies have short legs and time is running out 2026 is around the corner……ask HH to ask the Israelis to come and give us water to drink and grow maize on our behalf
Let’s hope there’s no export of electricity to Congo or TZ. If water levels has decreased then it’s a natural phenomenon.
I live in the catchment area for the Lunzua area and it is the destruction of the North Lunzua Forest Reserve and the destruction of the South Lunzua Forest Reserve due to the manufacturing of charcoal and the giving of plots in these reserves by the local headman to make some money. This is just the start of major issues unless serious action is taken. First Reserves are there for a reason!!!!