In a bid to address the ongoing power shortage, Minister of Energy Makozo Chikote announced today that ZESCO Limited has finalized a deal to procure 218 megawatts of electricity from South Africa’s Eskom and Zimbabwean power company. The total cost of this acquisition is US$14 million. The newly acquired electricity is expected to be integrated into the national grid by the end of this month.
During a media briefing in Lusaka, Mr. Chikote also revealed that Maamba Collieries Limited will be performing mandatory maintenance on two of its units from late August through September 2024. This maintenance will temporarily remove these units from the grid, resulting in an additional power shortfall of 135 megawatts in September.
As of July 31, 2024, Zambia’s peak electricity demand stands at 2,400 megawatts, while available power generation is only 1,040 megawatts, creating a significant power deficit of 1,360 megawatts.
Furthermore, ZESCO Managing Director Victor Mapani reported a US$21 million loss in domestic revenue due to the current load shedding practices.
