ZESCO says load shedding is expected to start reducing considerably from November and December 2020.
This is with the coming of Kafue Gorge Lower project on board and the anticipated better rainfall.
ZESCO Strategy and Corporate Services Director Patrick Mwila, disclosed in an interview that a new machine with 150 megawatts will come on board in November, 2020.
He reviewed that the water flows have been better this year compared to last year, but pointed out that there was a challenge in trying to catch up at a faster rate, because of the initial lower point caused by severe droughts.
Mr Mwila said that the importation of power from ESCOM in slots helped the country to cushion the impact of power deficit, following the severe droughts in 2018 through to 2019, which almost emptied the reservoirs.
He assured the public that there were many benefits smart meters will provide to customers, not just in the area of load shedding, but detecting faults such as power cuts among others.
He said that change was inevitable, further recalling that people resisted the prepaid meters when they were first introduced, adding that the world was embracing smart grid, and ZESCO will demonstrate to its customers that smart meters were a necessary improvement.