ZESCO has revealed that Zambia has achieved an electricity generation surplus of 1,156MW (Megawatts) in power generation capacity.
This follows the successful commissioning of 4x150MW capacity from the 750MW Kafue Gorge Lower Power Station.
ZESCO Managing Director Victor Mapani said currently the installed national generation capacity stands at 3,456.8MW against a peak national demand of approximately 2,300MW.
Eng Mapani told a high-level Panel Discussion at the ongoing Association of Power Utilities of Africa (APUA) meeting in Dakar, Senegal that ZESCO was using internally generated resources to progress the 750MW project.
He said the project is being constructed at a cost of approx.$2.3Billion to completion by November of 2022 at a cost of US $2.3Billion following non-disbursements by the project financiers.
“Currently four out of five units are already commissioned and running. We expect to commission the last 150MW machine, unit 5 by November this year. With this development, and factoring in Independent Power Producers, we currently stand at a national generation installed capacity of 3,456.8MW, against a peak national demand of approximately 2,300MW. We thus have a surplus of 1,156.8MW that is available for trade within the interconnected SAPP network,” said Eng. Mapani said.
Eng Mapani, who is the immediate Past President of Association of Power Utilities in Africa (APUA), was making a presentation under the theme – implementation of the 2063 Agenda of the African Union with respect to the development of the power sector in Zambia.
He said the availability of reliable electricity is underpinning the current rebound of Zambia’s economy.
Zambia, an established member of both the APUA and the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) is currently undertaking construction of transmission lines to ensure ZESCO remains at the centre of power trading among the Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern African states.
