The Energy Minister, Makozo Chikote, held a press briefing to address the nation on the current energy situation, highlighting the challenges and measures being implemented to manage the country’s power supply.
This week, the available power generation remains at an average of 890 megawatts, significantly below the installed generation capacity of 3,777 megawatts. The national peak demand stands at 2,400 megawatts, leaving a power deficit of 1,510 megawatts. To mitigate this shortfall, ZESCO Limited, along with other traders, is importing 496 megawatts of power from the region. However, this still leaves a net deficit of 1,014 megawatts, resulting in over 12 hours of power rationing across the country.
In a bid to increase power supply, President Hakainde Hichilema officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony for the US$400 million Maamba Collieries Phase II project, which is expected to add 300 megawatts of thermal power to the national grid.
The water levels at the country’s major reservoirs, including the Kariba Dam, continue to decline. The Kariba Dam currently holds only about 10% of usable water for power generation, with a high utilization rate required to meet demand. With ZESCO’s water allocation at Kariba nearing depletion, the power deficit is expected to increase by 300 megawatts. Additionally, scheduled maintenance at Maamba in September 2024 is expected to cause another 135 megawatts deficit, leading to an extension of power rationing hours to 17 hours daily starting September 1, 2024.
To alleviate the situation, ZESCO has secured 168 megawatts from ESKOM of South Africa and is negotiating for an additional 50 megawatts from the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), expected to commence by August 21, 2024.
On the issue of tariffs, ZESCO is currently importing power at a cost of US$12.6 cents per kilowatt-hour, while the local regulated tariff stands at US$4.1 cents per kilowatt-hour. The government is consulting with various stakeholders to design a tariff mechanism that will allow ZESCO to recover its costs during this period of drought response.
In addition, the government, through ZESCO, has launched a net-metering initiative, encouraging citizens and businesses to participate. ZESCO has provided a list of recommended equipment on its website to ensure access to quality, reliable, and compatible technology options. The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has also approved step-by-step guidelines for net-metering to ensure transparency and fairness.
To further support the energy sector, the government has approved additional incentives for solar, geothermal, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) equipment. The Rural Electrification Authority (REA) continues to allocate more resources toward off-grid and on-grid solar projects in various communities to reduce the burden on the national grid. In August, REA completed three more solar mini-grids: a 60-kilowatt grid in Mpidi, Zambezi district; a 100-kilowatt grid at Chilubi Hospital in Chilubi district; and a 70-kilowatt grid in Chieftainess Mwanya, Lundazi district. This brings the total number of operational solar mini-grids developed by REA to 13.
The Energy Minister assured the nation that the government remains committed to addressing the energy challenges and ensuring a sustainable power supply for the country.
Loadshedding is incompetence and lack of strategic planning – pure and simple.
And I just wonder why GRZ has not immediately implemented solar injection into the grid from households and businesses generating solar power. And what about imports from Tanzania and Mozambique who reportedly have surplus?
Energy Minister Upsets Nation on Power and Water Situation
Understand what solar generation is before exposing your ignorance. Have you ever wondered why countries like Saudi Arabia don’t rely on Solar?
@ Mayo mpapa. There no interconnector between Zambia and Tanzania. Some parts of this interconnector are only being made now.
Dubai formula?
It was wrong for him to talk about Dubai without first finding out how that country was managing and why we were failing. He thought it was as easy as walking to the Eastpark Mall. HE SHOULD COME OUT AND APOLOGIZE THAT HE WAS WRONG AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS INSTEAD OF BEING POMPOUS. God listens to those who humble themselves.
A govt of retards.
Does it mean the 17hours loadshedding has already started because here in PHI in Lusaka, ZESCO power went at 15hrs yesterday Friday and it is now Saturday 7 31 in the morning with no power
Can’t even manage a schedule these ZESCO chaps, excuse after excuse
PHI constant loadshedding complaints,sometimes with loadshedding,change the neighborhood or location.Napita nshalande ifingi.
For us already before this 17 hours power goes for two days (48 hours). The problem is that they speak without looking at facts
Stop playing with people’s heads with your megawatts. These numbers keep increasing in parallel with load shedding. It seems Zambia is increasing power to supply the people who are looting its resources. Why are the mines not complaining about load shedding? Just 1 copper or gold mine can finance a project which could see Zambia producing more power than it needs but these heads with fake gowns see things differently. We need seriousness. Look at how Tanzania is transforming with abundant power supply. Ku sikulu myendela chani if you can’t apply simple logic.
All of this is past government mistakes not planning for the future relying on dams not thinking of droughts. This government cannot perform miracles and get the dams to be filled. Infrastructure needed to be in place years ago hopefully the measures taken now will help in the future and those who can afford it will help by getting their own solar power local government can play their part as well. Blame past government for the failure. Try to be fair or you will always miss what needs to be done.
@Strestham… much as you wish to blame previous administration, the buck stops at the feet of one Hakainde Hichilema… I was taken to another mine shaft by my mine manager. He told me that the staff there was lost and he explained what he wanted me to do… within a week the shaft improved performance…why this example? HH said a lot of things and all of us believed he was going to fix it…. weather have been dwindling the water volume in the dam….he ignored this and he boasted at his press conference that he had stopped loadshedding… hours later we were notified of the impending loadshedding.
In Zambia Logic is never taught outside of Philosophy lessons.
See you in 2026 chabe. We’ve got nothing more to say. You mean we will only be having less than 7h of power per day. Oho
“In Saudi Arabia there’s no rain for 10 to 15 years and if rains its just a tiny bit but they have electricity 24/7….its all about brains “…..
So now what has changed today…..whilst in opposition loadsheding was due to mismanagement and lack of leadership but all of a sudden that theory has changed….HH WILL GO DOWN AS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF ZAMBIAN PRESIDENTS
Ignorance at its best. Find out the main source of energy in Saudi Arabia. There is no Middle Eastern country that relies on hydro electricity.
@Katana so HH is ignorant? You will be arrested for hate speech.
These UPND morons….one minute they’re commissioning power plant….next minute they’re announcing power importation….next minute they’re increasing loadsheding hours….TRUE DEFINITION OF CHIPANTE PANTE GOVERNMENT….
So these UPND Bandits they’re just lying about importing power …..HH and his clique of thieves are pocketing all the money
And now they’re not even talking about “bebt restructuring “…….it has already proven that it has made things worse……band aid solutions will always make things worse…….and now we don’t have electricity and its all because of poor leadership and massive looting
Your alebwelelapo wants to come and deal with debt restructuring.
And the same Energy Minister sounds very incompetent…he can’t even pronounce electricity…..ERECTRICITY….and he had a stupid grin on his face throughout the press briefing……where does HH get these pompwe Ministers…..HH only apponts morons who will be his ” yes boss”….and follow his thieving commands and bankrupty Zambia
“If you spend one hour explaining what you have done then you have done nothing”…..MR AYATOLLAH THE SUPREME LEADER HAKAINDE HICHILEMA SIR…WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DUBAI FORMULA????? zambians are asking….and now you’re importing air and fooling the gullible praise singers whilst you are putting all the money in your pockets…..
Chief chipante pante Government…..we have a dunderhead demagogue President…HH SAID LOADSHEDING IS DUE TO INCOMPETENCE AND MISMANAGEMENT OF OUR RESOURCES…..lets hold him in contempt and kick him out of office because he has proven that he is just a pathological liar
Megawatt this Megawatt that….all nonsense just full of incompetence and stealing….garbage out garbage in….HH IS A VERY GOOD CANDIDATE FOR MUKOBEKO MAXIMUM PRISON
Suppose you were in their shoes what is your solution to the power deficit? Do not just condemn give us solutions if you do not have one, then keep quite do not waist our time yapping!
But HH called ECL a poor leader over the same issue. GRZ was appealing to us that this had to do with weather…..here we are now mwakangiwa na weather.
I think we need to advise the minister that we have so many water bodies in Zambia please ask ZESCO not to rely on what Kaunda and Mwanawasa left. Utilize Zambezi river it can accommodate more that 5 power stations from Kaleni Hill to Chirundu. What about Kabompo, Lunga, Luapula and Chambeshi Rivers. Government should also give loans to each landlord makama us retirees for solar energy projects which will also reduce ZESCO dependence like what the Indian government has done. Ba minister mwilalila bomfyenifye icipalakasa Yehovah Lesa amipela period.
We need to move away from dependance on hydroelectric generated power. The climate change is here to stay so Solar and Nuclear generated power is the way forward.
Ok, What is ichipalakasa?
True Ngolofwana. However, we don’t need nuclear we have vast resources of water, sunshine, wind, and swamplands that could produce ethanol. There are plenty of water-based power production systems that we can exploit with the help of our numerous engineers.
Zambian engineers are under-utilized and the state numbs their initiative by schooling them to be employed. It should be compulsory for all engineers, Doctors, and technicians to do business courses. Right now they should have been coming together to form power companies.
Bodies such as BRICS could fund them if they could see their business plans. But here we are waiting for some European to arrive and grab that initiative right under our very noses.
Just from water (remember we have about seven big rivers and five lakes whose water lies idling or is lost to the oceans) we can derive at least the following power systems:
1 Wave Energy
2 Pumped Storage Hydropower
3 Run-of-the-River Hydroelectricity which uses the natural flow of a river to generate power.
4 Hydropower from Water Wheels
5 Giant steam engines
Imwe bantu where are ifipalakasa???????
Bakawalala na nsoni balibe….the moron Energy Minister comes with the megawatt jargon….the Finance Minister comes with MPR jargon….the Sports Minister is stealing money meant for Athletes….The Mines Minister is making sure Gold turns to copper…the Justice Minister is making sure that the Anti Corruption Commission becomes the most corrupt institution….meanwhile HH is busy with bazungu mapping and surveying for more minerals to be looted…..
Guys,
I have the panacea for the problem. Because of the damage done, reparations will take 3-5 years.
Will someone please give me an ear.
I can be in Lusaka after 3 September to table my plan
OK Iam counting. Thats two positive Zambians offering to come help our chipantepante government to work on a solid technical plan:
1 Prof Clive Chirwa
2 Ken Seecharran
3
So far have I left out anyone?
OK I am counting. Thats two positive Zambians offering to come help our chipantepante government to work on a solid technical plan:
1 Prof Clive Chirwa
2 Ken Seecharran
3
So far have I left out anyone?
Where is my response to Ken?
This loadshedding is really bad for the average Zambian, it’s bad news for small and medium scale entrepreneurs. Hairdressers, welders, printing and photocopying businesses are folding up. Grocery stores and minimarts are struggling to maintain the cold chain. Very soon bread will be in short supply because bakeries can’t deal with such long hours of loadshedding. The impact on electrical water pumps is enormous. Nothing seems to be working well.
We need to move away fro being overly dependent on Kariba dam or Kafue gorge and explore other sources of hydro electricity supply.
When you make load shedding acceptable, Lazy people will use it as an excuse. The same goes for corruption, filth and fighting. We have a serious problem of wastage in Zambia. I mean look how the military equipment is being abused? Even fire engines are used for joyriding. When war breaks out ati kulibe ma spares. Only in Zambia. Imagine sending a fire engine with no water. Police, no transport but minister can fly all year round none stop.
@Piranha.. I am sure you know what a circle looks like… previous government wanted to set up a nuclear plant somewhere in chongwe or Chiawa… Upnd including the useless Pilato opposed the Idea even to the extent of influencing local chiefs… some even saying why not take the plant somewhere where these people come from. That’s what a circle looks like.
What is ichipalakasa?
GRZ should advertise positions for energy consultants to make a team of energy advisors. Zambian industry representatives (mines, mineral processing, water companies, etc), finance experts, sociologists, environmentalists and others should be invited to develop an updated program for energy. There currently is an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) but this needs to be updated by a more practical one. This plan should deliberately aim at local consumption as well as export to neighboring countries.