Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Zesco Acting Managing Director Fidelis Mubiana
Zesco Limited has acknowledged that there has been a considerable improvement in the water inflows both at Kariba Dam and Itezhi Tezhi reservoirs.
The power utility company says this can be attributed to the improved rainfall in the catchment areas for Kariba and Kafue Gorge dams towards the end of February 2016.
Zesco Acting Managing Director Fidelis Mubiana has however stated that the water levels at Kariba and Kafue Gorge reservoirs are still low to warrant increased generation especially that the water harvested during the rainy season is meant to support power generation for the whole year.
Mr. Mubiana told journalists during the media cocktail in Lusaka that at the beginning of 2016, Zambezi River Authority allocated Zesco Limited and Kariba Hydro Power Company of Zimbabwe 20 billion cubic metres of water for power generation compared to 40.2 billion cubic metres that was allocated last year.
He explains that the reduction in water allocation translates to reduced generation at Kariba from 500mega watts last year to 275mega watts currently.
Mr. Mubiana has also disclosed that the generation at the newly commissioned Itezhi Tezhi Hydro Power Station is at 60MW out of a capacity of 120MW saying the generation was expected to go to full capacity by May 2016 as there is a remarkable appreciation in the water at Itezhi Tezhi.
Speaking at the same function, Energy and Water Development Permanent Secretary Bishop Dr. Edward Chomba says even during the power deficit of about 1000MW, government is doing anything possible to mitigate this shortage by importing power from neighboring countries.