Sci-Edu
September 10, 2005
Zambia in massive rehabilitation of power systems
Zambia, one of the few African countries with electricity surplus, is carrying out a massive rehabilitation of its electricity generating, transmission and distribution systems to avoid a system collapse and cater for increasing demands.
Rhodnie Sisala, managing director of the state-owned Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO), said Friday that the rehabilitation of the transmission and distribution systems have been completed, while that of the three major power stations are still going on.
The three power stations, Kafue Gorge, Kariba North Bank and Victoria Falls, have a combined generating capacity of 1,608 mega watts, or 98 percent of the southern African country's total installed capacity of 1,640 mega watts.
The stations, built in 1970s, 1950s and 1930s, need urgent rehabilitation to avoid a system collapse, as major rehabilitation have not been done for decades due to lack of funds, said Sisala.
The rehabilitation will also increase their installed capacity to 1,818, he said.
The whole rehabilitation program started in 1998 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2007.
The total costs have been put at 250 million US dollars, financed by loans from the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, the Development Bank of South Africa and other lenders.
Sisala warned Zambia's current electricity surplus will run out by 2009/2010, with the growth of the copper mining, agriculture, tourism and manufacturing sectors, not to say the increased access of electricity to the 11 million population.
Currently only 25 percent of the population is using electricity.
In addition, Zambia is pursuing the interconnector project with Tanzania and Kenya, which will allow Zambia to export its electricity surplus to its neighbors. Energy-thirsty Rwanda has recently applied to join the 350 million US dollar project.
In a bid to meet the rising demand, Zambia has started negotiations with China and Iran on the construction of the Kafue Gorge Lower power station and the Itezhi-tezhi power station as well as the expansion of the Kariba North Bank power station.
At a total estimated cost of one billion US dollars, the three project will boost Zambia's generating capacity by over 1,000 mega watts, consolidating its position as a major electricity exporter in the sub-region.
Source: Xinhua
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