AFTER months of darkness, cold stoves, and flickering candles, there is finally a flicker of hope for Zambia’s electricity-strapped population.
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Zesco has projected a possible reduction in the country’s load shedding crisis by August this year, following a steady rise in water levels at the Kariba Dam, a much-needed sigh of relief to millions of households and businesses that have endured relentless power cuts.
Speaking during a press briefing in Siavonga yesterday, Zesco senior manager Christopher Singogo said the power utility is closely monitoring the encouraging upward trend in the dam’s reservoir and is optimistic that the situation will improve in the coming quarter.
“The situation remains delicate, but the signs are encouraging,” said Singogo.
For the past two years, Zesco has battled with depressed water levels in Lake Kariba, largely brought on by prolonged droughts and the El Niño phenomenon, which saw electricity generation at Kariba North Bank reduce to as low as 214 megawatts (MW) in 2024, far below the station’s 1,080 MW installed capacity.
Seasonal rains and an improved water allocation from the Zambezi River Authority, raised from 8 billion cubic meters in 2024 to 13.5 billion this year, have brightened Zesco’s outlook.
Officials revealed that although the full recovery of the Kariba reservoir will take time, the additional water allocation will allow the utility to gradually ramp up generation, particularly during peak demand periods.
Meanwhile, the Zambezi River Authority urged both Zambia and Zimbabwe to continue managing the reservoir sustainably.
The Kariba Dam, serving Zambia and Zimbabwe since the colonial days when men’s trousers were still flared and TVs were black-and-white with backsides, continues to be the beating heart of the region’s electricity.
So, when it coughs, the whole country sneezes in darkness and for now, blackouts remain part of daily life but at least this time, Zesco says there is an end in sight.
By George Musonda
Kalemba May 20, 2025
