Ministerial delegation to assess impact of low water levels on hydropower stations

IN response to Zambia’s ongoing power deficit, a team of three Cabinet ministers will embark on a tour of key hydropower stations today

Organised by the Board and Management of ZESCO Limited, the visit aims to provide the delegation with a firsthand look at the impact of critically low water levels on electricity generation.

The delegation comprises: Peter Kapala Minister of Energy, Mike Mposha, Minister of Water Development and Sanitation and Cornelius Mweetwa, Minister of Information and Media.

The tour will focus on two crucial hydropower stations:Kafue Gorge Power Station (Namalundu) – Installed capacity: 990MW and Kariba North Bank Complex (Siavonga) – Installed capacity: 1080MW

This visit comes amidst a national power shortage caused by drastically reduced water levels in hydropower reservoirs.

The El Nino-induced drought has significantly hampered electricity generation, leading to a current deficit of 750MW as of May 19, 2024.

Following the tour, the Minister of Energy is scheduled to address the media and the nation.

This address will provide a comprehensive update on the current hydropower situation and outline the government’s mitigation strategies to achieve energy sufficiency and reliability in the immediate, short, medium, and long term.

In a statement issued by the corporate affairs department, the ZESCO Board and Management expressed their appreciation to the Zambian public for their patience during these challenging times.

By Moses Makwaya

Kalemba May 24, 2024