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Power utility ZESCO has described the low water levels in Lake Kariba which is used to generate power at Kariba north bank power station as critical.
Speaking when Energy Minister Mathew Nkhuwa paid a courtesy call on Siavonga district Commission Lovemore Kanyama, Kariba North Bank power station Manager Edward Simbaya says the power station is only able to generate 290 Megawatts of power on average per day from the expected 500 Megawatts due to low water levels in lake Kariba.
Mr Simbaya says of the six machines used to generate power at Kariba north bank power station, only two are currently being used in order to preserve the water in the lake, while a third machine only comes on during peak hours.
He says the utility is aiming at ensuring that the plant is not completely shut down by the end of the year by keeping water level at a point where generation can continue through to next year.
Mr Simbaya, however, states that this can only be achieved by sharing the little available through load shedding.
And Energy Minister Mathew Nkhuwa who is in Siavonga together with the parliamentary committee on energy to conduct a tour of Kariba north bank power station as well as get first hand information from Zambezi river authority and ZESCO on the water levels and electricity provision situation in the country, has noted with concern the misinformation on the energy crisis the country is facing.
Mr Nkhuwa says it is therefore important that the engineers give out all the critical information of what is pertaining on the ground at the Kariba North Bank whether negative or positive for the public to be aware.
Speaking earlier parliamentary committee chairperson Ephraim Belemu says the electricity crisis facing the country calls for concerted efforts from different players.
Meanwhile Siavonga district commission Lovemore Kanyama has urged the media to help in providing information on what exactly happening on the ground at Kariba North bank power station.