Dear Editor,
I’ m neither an Electrical engineer nor Zesco spokesperson but I’m left with no option to comment on Opposition leader for Patriots for Economic Progress Sean Tembo’s assertion to the effect that Zesco should have imported power from South Africa in January this year instead of waiting for the crisis and start importing now.
Surely, after listening from Mr Tembo this morning at Hot FM where he sounded very educated and articulate, I guess Mr Tembo learnt some physics at school where electricity generation was part of the subject.
He must have learnt about kinetic energy and that power is current which cannot be stored cumulatively in one place.
Power is consumed as and when it passes, it’s therefore not like Kariba dam water. Mr Tembo should also know and understand the issue of off pick hours during which period all electricity companies in the region engage in trade.
I therefore, find Mr Tembo’s statement highly misleading obviously for political expediency at this crucial time when every household and companies need power for production.
Yes Zesco and the government should have by now looked for an alternative solution after the 2015 low water levels which resulted into load shedding like the one we are facing now.
I don’t agree with anyone who blames Zesco for exporting power at this critical time because power cannot be stored.
Zesco exports power when most of our electrical appliances are off because we do not run a 24 hour economy. In short Zesco only exports excess power because it cannot be stored for the following day’s use.
Leaders please do some research before they open their mouth. If they don’t know avoid the question or push it forward for further discussion.
Laston Mumba
Concerned citizen
Lusaka
